More Important Than a Meeting
by LoveLikeElena
Summary: "No royal duty will ever come before you." That was what Elena had told her little sister. When the time comes to back her words up with action, how far wil Elena go to do so? R/R
1. Chapter 1

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Elena of Avalor. They belong to Craig Gerber! I do however own the idea for this story.  
Enjoy!

A/N: This is my first solo multi chapter EOA story. Please be kind. 

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 1

Sixteen-year-old Elena Flores glanced around at her familia. Her ten-year-old sister, Isabel, was sitting next to her, while their grandparents and cousin sat across from them. She was grateful to have her familia back-well most of them. Suddenly, her gaze travelled unbidden to two empty chairs in the far right corner of the table. Squeezing her eyes shut, she could see her parents sitting in them just as they had done the week before Shuriki tore their familia apart. Reaching subconsciously for the amulet of Avalor, Elena remembered she had given it to Sofia. Had it really been four months since she and her familia had been freed? It felt like yesterday. A lot had happened in those four months. Elena had met and befriended Naomi Turner, the harbormaster's daughter, as well as Mateo and Gabe. Isa had started fourth grade with a wonderful teacher named Andrea Ortega. As for Elena, she was focused on learning how to rule her kingdom. She blinked back tears as the realization hit her. She shouldn't be ruling at sixteen. This second realization sent a shiver down her spine. Her parents were really gone. And it was her fault. Guilt bubbled in her stomach, making her swallow hard all of a sudden. Taking a deep breath, she was successful in getting rid of the nausea.

"Elena? Elena…Are you okay?"

Elena blinked a few times. Coming out of her reverie, she was met by the concerned brown eyes of her little sister.

"Elena, que estas mal?" Isabel inquired.

"Estas es Nada, Isa. Estoy bien," Elena tried. Seeing Isabel raise her eyebrows, she sighed. "Estoy consada." Turning to their grandmother, she declared, "That was delicioso," with that, she ate the last bite of rice and beans with chicken.

"Gracias, mija," Louisa smiled at her. "Would you and Isabel mind doing the dishes?"

"Sure," Elena nodded. Turning to her sister, she proposed, "How about it, Isa? Then we can have hermana tiempo."

"Okay!" Isabel agreed.

Once the sisters were alone, they started the small task.

The two worked in comparable silence, Elena humming a song as she washed while her sister dried. Glancing over at her sister, she could tell something was on Isabel's mind. Isabel's eyes were darting around and she was working quickly as though wanting to finish as soon as possible.

"That's the last one," Elena announced, putting the last dish on the counter.

"Huh? What did you say?" Isabel asked.

"That was the last dish," Elena frowned in concern. Putting the dish towel down, she went over to her younger sister. Pulling her into her arms, she kissed her forehead. "Isa, is everything okay? I know it's going to take some getting used to, us being free and everything."

Isabel nodded.

"Estoy bien," she assured her. "I'm just…tired. It's been a long day."

Elena nodded. Somehow, she knew her sister had just lied to her. Pushing the hurt down, she forced herself to be patient. She had gotten lots of practice while being trapped in Sofia's amulet. She would just have to wait for Isabel to come to her.

"Do you wanna go for a ride on Skylar with me?" Elena offered.

"No thanks. I think I'm gonna go read for a while," with that, Isabel turned to leave.

"Isa, wait!" Elena called after her. She watched Isabel turn back to face her. "Te quiero pase lo que pase."

"I love you too, " she softly replied.

"What did I say?" Elena asked the empty room. She was completely confused by her sister's reaction. Leaving the dining hall, she went in the direction of her sister's bedroom. Knocking, she entered. Going over to the bed, she sat down next to the ten-year-old. Resting her hand on her sister's back, she spoke. "I'm sorry if I hurt you with my words."

"You didn't," Isabel tearfully assured her. She let out a sob as more tears flowed.

"Talk to me," Elena softly requested, "por favor. You always can. Nothing's changed between us. At least I hope it hasn't."

Isabel shook her head.

Elena's heart clenched as she and Isabel locked eyes. The tears she saw made her blink back her own. These tears weren't kid ones. They were full of long held pain and fear. What's worse, she was responsible for them.

"Isa, que es eso?" Elena gently inquired.

"The last time you said that to me, you…you…" her voice trailed off in a sob.

"I didn't come back," Elena softly realized.

Isabel nodded, tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

"Isa, bente aqui…" Elena pulled her sister into her arms. Kissing the top of her head, she ran a hand through her hair. She started speaking to her softly in Spanish, hoping her words of comfort would ease her sister's fears and pain.

"I'm not going anywhere," Elena assured her in English. "I promise." She ran a hand through her hair as Isabel buried her face in her chest.

"Don't say that!" Isabel cried. "You can't promise that!"

"I can in this case because Shuriki is gone for good. I destroyed her wand," Elena explained. "I'm back for good. You have me."

"I missed you!" She sobbed.

"I missed you too, Isa. There wasn't a day that went by when I didn't think of you. Te quiero."

"I love you too," Isabel replied.

"Tell you what? Why don't I sleep in here with you tonight," Elena offered.

Isabel wiped her eyes.

"Ya-you don't have to do that. We have our own rooms. You probably need time to yourself."

"I want to," Elena told her.

"Okay," Isabel accepted.

*****

"Do you think I'll be able to meet Sofia?" Isabel asked. Their grandmother had just kissed them both good-night. Now the two sisters were alone in Isabel's room.

"I'm not sure. Maybe," Elena yawned as she spoke.

"Buenos noches. I Love you," Isabel mumbled as her eyes closed. She accepted Elena's hug and returned it. Lying back down, she let her eyes close once again. Feeling Elena lie down beside her, she relaxed even more. With that, the two sisters fell asleep.

"Elena! Elena! No! No!" Isabel ran through the palace in desperate need to find her sister. As she rounded the corner into the hall that lead to the dining room, angry orange flames greeted her. Watching them build in intensity, Isabel gulped. Feeling someone pull her to the ground, she screamed, but relaxed when she heard a familiar voice.

"Isa, esta bien Follow me! Don't let go!"

Isabel obeyed her sister without question. As they got closer to safety, Isabel's grip on her sister's arm started to slip.

"Elena! Elena, I can't hold on!" she cried.

"Isa, whatever you do, don't let go!" Elena ordered. With that, she lifted her sister onto Skylar and jumped on herself.

Isabel tried to hold onto the jacwin's fur, but her hands kept slipping. As they hit a bend, she felt herself falling off. As she fell, she screamed, reaching out for her sister's hand.

"Elena!"

****

Isabel shot up in bed, tears streaming down her face. Letting out a scream of terror, she cried out for the one person she prayed was still there.

"ELENA!"

****

Over in the next bed, Elena sat up with a start. She had moved over to the daybed in the night, wanting to give Isabel her space.

"Huh? Wha-what's…que esta…" Sitting up, she pushed hair out of her face. Hearing sobbing, she turned in that direction. Recognizing it, she was fully awake instantly. Standing, she was at her younger sister's side in seconds. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she pulled Isabel into her arms. Running a hand through her hair, Elena soothed her with words, hoping she would tell her what had scared her. Feeling Isabel push herself into her, she continued to soothe her. As her purple pj top became wet, her heart broke.

"Isa, esta bien. You're safe. I have you now. I'm here…" Elena soothed.

Isabel responded by tightening her hold.

"Que estas mal?" Elena inquired.

"It doesn't matter," Isabel tearfully declared.

"If it has you crying around two in the morning, it matters," her sister countered. Then added, "It matters to me. You matter to me. tu tiene mal swenio?"

"Yes!" Isabel sobbed.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Elena offered.

Isabel took a shaky breath.

"There was a fa-fire…you rescued me, but I fell off Skylar!" Isabel let out a sob.

"You're safe now," Elena assured her, "yo te tengo."

Can I stay here with you?" Isabel asked after she was done explaining.

"Of course. You never have to ask that," Elena kissed her sister's forehead. "I love you. Let's try to get some more sleep."

"No puedo dormier!" Isabel confessed.

"Would it help if I sung you Mami's lullaby?" Elena offered.

"You still remember it?" Isabel's eyes grew wide.

"Of course!" with that, Elena started singing the lullaby. She had barely made it to the second verse when she felt Isabel become heavy in her arms. Glancing down, she discovered her little sister drifting back to sleep. Kissing her forehead, Elena got comfortable. "Sweet dreams, Isa," with that, Elena soon joined her younger sister in sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Elena of Avalor! They belong to their respective creators. I only own the idea for this story.  
Enjoy!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 2

Elena's eyes opened to sun streaming into her window. Feeling someone stir beside her, the night's events came floating back. Sitting up, Elena stretched. Pushing the covers away, she stood. Turning back, she made sure Isabel was warm enough. Bending down, she kissed her sister's forehead.

"I love you, Isa," straightening up, she went to get ready.

Entering the dining room, Elena was surprised to find Naomi sitting at the table.

"Beunas Diaz. What are you doing here?" she sat across from her.

"I wanted to have breakfast with you. Besides, I don't have to be in school until ten," Naomi grinned. "Where's Isabel?"

"She's still sleeping," Elena answered. She and Naomi talked amongst themselves until Elena's grandparents, as well as Esteban entered the room. Elena gave her grandparents a hug and kiss before sitting back down.

"Where's Isabel?" Francisco inquired.

"I'll go see if she's awake," Elena stood. She was halfway to the hallway when her forementioned sister joined her. "Hey, I was just coming to see if you were awake yet."

Isabel nodded. Wrapping her arms around Elena's waist, she buried her face in her stomach.

"I love you too," Elena assured her. Hugging back, she ran a hand through her sister's hair. Frowning when Isabel didn't let go, she grew concerned. "Isa? Que pasa?"

"My stomach hurts," the nine-year-old whimpered.

"Let's see," Elena gently pried her sister's arms from around her waist. Kneeling down, she checked her sister for a fever. "You're not warm. Maybe eating breakfast will help."

Isabel shook her head.

"Come on, you can sit next to me," with that, Elena lead the way back to the dining room. Taking her previous seat, she smiled when Isabel made herself comfortable on her lap. Wrapping her arms around her, she kissed the top of her head.

"She really missed you," their grandmother commented.

"I know," elena sighed. Turning her attention to Isabel, she added, "Isa, I know you're comfortable, but you need to go sit down."

Isabel whined, snuggling in more.

"Isa, come on now. Es necesario sentarse."

"No!" Isabel protested.

Isabel…" elena forewarned.

"Elena, por favor, I wanna stay here!" she cried.

"You can stay with me until the food's served," Elena relented.

Isabel sighed with relief.

"I'm not hungry!" she protested. "I don't feel good!" with that, she buried her face in her sister's chest.

Naomi frowned in concern at the nine-year-old's actions.

"Maybe she really is sick. I know you two are close, but I've never seen her this clingy before."

Elena frowned in thought. She realized Naomi had a point.

"That smells delicioso!" Louisa commented as the cook set the food down in front of them.

"Isa, Usted necesita sentarse," Elena gently reminded her. Isabel shook her head, but eventually got off of her sister's lap. Sitting down next to her, she picked up her fork. Eating a few bites, she stopped. Putting her fork down, she took a few sips of juice.

"I'm done," she announced.

"Are you sure?" their grandmother asked.

"Uh-huh," Isabel glanced at her grandmother, "may I be excused, por favor?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Louisa replied.

Isabel stood and left the dining room.

"I'm gonna check on her," Elena stood as well. She was halfway to the stairs when her grandfather called her back.

"Elena, don't forget you have that meeting with Senior Elcirano," he reminded her.

Elena groaned inwardly.

"I know. I won't forget," with that, she ascended the stairs. Checking Isabel's room first, she found it empty. Going to her own, Elena's heart broke at the sight. Isabel was lying in her bed, tears streaming down her face. "Isa, what's wrong?"

"Elena, it hurts! It really hurts!" she sobbed.

"What does? You have to tell-"

"My stomach!" Isabel sobbed.

"Okay. Can I check?" Elena sat down next to her sister.

"Uh-huh," Isabel breathed.

Elena gently placed her hands on her sister's stomach.

"Does it hurt in one spot or all over?" she asked.

"Everywhere!" Isabel cried.

"Okay, I'm gonna take care of you. I'm sorry I didn't believe you earlier."

"It's okay," Isabel hissed as more pain shot through her stomach. Swallowing, she squeezed her sister's hand tightly.

"I'll be right back," Elena kissed Isabel's forehead, stood and left the room. Returning, she ran a hand through her little sister's hair. "Let's see…" with that, she put the thermometer underneath Isabel's tongue.

Isabel, for her part, moved closer to her older sister.

Taking the thermometer out of Isabel's mouth, Elena took a look at it. Frowning, she put the back of her hand to Isabel's forehead. "You don't feel warm."

"I don't feel good!" Isabel whimpered.

"I know, Isa. Eschuche mi. I'm gonna go talk to abuela. I'm going to try and convince her to let you stay home. If she says no, I'll come and pick you up early."

"Okay," Isabel hissed as more pain came.

"I'll be right back," Elena kissed her sister on the cheek, stood and left to find her grandparents. Entering the dining room, she found the both of them in conversation. "Excuse me?" she broke in.

Luisa looked up and smiled when she saw her eldest granddaughter. She frowned when she caught sight of the expression on the sixteen-year-old's face.

"What is it, mija?" she asked.

"Isabel's sick. Her stomach's really hurting her. I can see it in her eyes."

Luisa nodded.

"Did you take her temperature?" she asked.

"Yes…" Elena knew the next question would decide her sister's fate.

"And…?" her grandmother asked, not unkindly, but expectantly.

"It was relatively normal," Elena answered honestly.

Luisa exchanged a look with Francisco.

"Elena, you know our stance on missing school," he gently reminded her.

"But you let me stay home the time I got food poisoning when I was fourteen," she protested.

"That was because it started the night before and you had a pretty high fever," her grandfather reminded her.

Elena nodded. She sighed in defeat.

"Also, it was your Papa who had final say," Luisa added.

Elena squeezed her eyes shut at the mention of her late parents. She missed them every day, but days like this made the ache worse.

Without a word, Luisa stood. Going over to Elena, she pulled her in for a hug.

"I miss them too," she whispered into her left ear.

Elena blinked hard against sudden tears. Pulling away, she forced herself to focus on Isa.

"I told Isa that if she does have to go to school, I would come to check on her around lunchtime. If she wasn't doing better, I would bring her back home."

"That's a fair compromise," Luisa consented.

"Gracias, abuela. And gracias for…" her voice trailed off.

"You never have to thank me for loving you. You and your sister mean the world to us," Luisa assured her.

Elena saluted her grandmother as she left the room. Entering Isa's, her heart broke. The nine-year-old was half asleep. Taking a deep breath, Elena went over to the bed. Sitting down, she ran a hand through Isa's brown hair. Letting her sleep for another ten minutes, Elena leaned over and started whispering in her left ear. "Isa, come on. You need to wake up."

"Huh? Wha-what's…" Isabel swatted at her sister's hand as her brown eyes slowly opened.

"Isa, you need to get up," Elena gently told her.

"What did they say?" she mumbled.

"Since you don't have a fever, you have to go to school, but I'm going to come and check on you before lunch. If you're not feeling better, I'll bring you home."

"Why can't I stay home?" Isabel whined.

Elena tried not to let her sister's reaction bother her. This was a sure sign her little sister was sick.

"I'm sorry, Isa. There's nothing I can do."

"Yes there is! You promised Mami you would protect me!"

"I know, but this isn't that type-" Elena was cut off by her sister's next words cutting into her heart like a knife.

"Forget it! Just leave me alone! You can help, you just won't!" Isabel accused. Turning away, she sat up. Standing unsteadily, she made her way to the door.

"Isa, espara. Let me help you," Elena reached her side in seconds.

"You've already helped enough," Isabel mumbled. With that, she made her way out of her room, her backpack dangling from one arm.

Elena blinked hard for the second time that day. This wasn't fair. She had to do something. She made to go after Isabel, but the sound of arriving carriages made her rethink her plans. Reaching the entry way, Elena was just in time to see a man with green eyes and brown hair stand to greet her. He was wearing a business suit and carrying a folder in his right hand. He bowed and Elena did the same. "Bienvenida to Avalor, Senior Elserano," Elena greeted.

"Gracias, princesa Elena. I trust you're ready for the meeting?"

"Yes," Elena replied. With that, she led the way into the dining room. "But first, ore'derves."

The king nodded.

Sighing, Elena prayed she would be able to focus on the task at hand.

*****

"What do you think, Elena?"

Elena blinked to clear her head. She hadn't been paying attention to the conversation around her at all. Hard as she tried, she couldn't get Isa off of her mind. She felt like she had betrayed her.

"Que? What did you say?" she frowned. "I'm sorry?" she asked.

The king frowned in concern.

"I'm sorry, You're Majesty. I just have other things on my mind-" her sentence was interrupted by the arrival of Gabe.

"Elena, we need you. It's Isabel," he informed her.

Elena stood immediately.

"I'll be back. I'm so sorry. My sister needs me," with that, she followed Gabe out of the room. Gaining the hallway, she didn't waste any time. "Gabe, what's going on?"

"We got a message from the school. Isabel's in the infirmary. She's running a fever."

Elena frowned.

"How high is it?" she desperately asked.

"I'm not sure. Senorita Marisol just sent a messenger to ask if you would come and get her," Gabe informed her.

"I should have fought harder for her to be able to stay home. This is all my fault. Mama and Papa tasked me with protecting her before they died…"

"Elena, this isn't your fault. Kids get sick, it happens. The important thing is, you're going to her now," Gabe counseled.

Elena sighed.

"Thanks," she sighed. She just prayed Isabel saw it that way.


	3. Chapter 3

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Elena of Avalor! They belong to their respective creators. I only own the idea for this story.  
Enjoy!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 3

Elena frowned as she walked into the building. Entering the right room, she was met by a kindly woman of around forty.

"Hola, Mrs. Lopez. I came as soon as I got the message. What happened?"

Mrs. Lopez sighed.

"Isabel came to see me shortly after classes began. Christina brought her down at Senorita Marisol's request. Isabel was in a great deal of pain. I let her rest for a half an hour to forty five minutes. I took her temperature and discovered she had a fever of 101.2 degrees. Not long after that, she started vomiting. That's when I sent a message to you."

Elena nodded.

"I took her temperature before she left. She didn't have one. I would have let her stay home, but our grandparents have final say. They're raising us now that…" her voice trailed off.

Mrs. Lopez shortened the distance between them and hugged the teen.

"I too lost family to Shuriki. If you ever need to talk, I'm here. The same goes for Isabel."

"I'm so sorry, " Elena gasped.

"It's not your fault. The important thing is, you stopped her before she could hurt anyone else."

Elena managed a tiny smile for the nurse.

"May I see Isa now?"

"Of course," with that, Mrs. Lopez led Elena to the back of the room. Handing her an empty bucket, she left the two sisters alone.

Sighing, Elena knelt down to Isa's side. Reaching out, she ran a hand through the nine-year-old's hair.

Isabel stirred at the familiar touch.

"Isa, I'm so sorry. I'm gonna fix this. I promise you that. You have me for the rest of the day," Elena whispered to her. Gently, she lifted the little girl into her arms.

"Elena…" Isabel mumbled, snuggling into her sister's hold.

Elena planted a kiss on her forehead. She gasped at the heat.

"Come on, baby, let's get you home," turning to leave, she addressed Mrs. Lopez. "Gracias for everything."

"You're more than welcome," Mrs. Lopez replied.

Exiting the school, Elena climbed back into the carriage.

"Home, Canella," she instructed as Gabe snapped the reigns.

"She doesn't look good," Gabe observed.

"Don't make me feel guiltier than I already do," Elena shot him a look.

Gabe put his hands up in defense.

"I didn't mean it that-"

The sound of Isabel whimpering made Elena look down.

"Isa, esta bien. Yo tetengo. We're going home," she soothed.

"Elena, you came for me, even after I said…I'm…" Isabel mumbled sleepily.

"I will always come for you-no matter what. I forgive you. I know you were upset," Elena assured her.

"I didn't mean to hurt…" Isabel said right before swallowing hard. She sat up, her right hand flying to her mouth.

"Okay, here you go," Elena put the bucket underneath her sister's chin just in time. "Isa…esta bien, esta bien…you'll feel better soon," she soothed as they neared the palace gates.

"Elena, I feel horrible!" Isabel cried. She let out a whimper right before throwing up again.

"I know. I'm gonna take care of you," her older sister assured her. "Can I lift you yet? We need to get inside."

"Uh-huh," Isabel panted, leaning against Elena for support.

"Are you sure?" the sixteen-year-old asked.

"Yeah," Isabel said. The minute her sister's arms wrapped around her, Isabel buried her face in her shoulder and burst into tears.

Elena just ran a hand through her hair and gently spoke to her in Spanish on the short walk to her room. Entering, she laid her down.

"Elena, no!" Isabel cried.

"I'll be back. I Need to rinse the bucket out and get you some medicine," Elena did the task as quickly as she could. Returning, she set the bucket on the table, along with a cup of water. Steeling herself for the task at hand, she poured a small amount of red liquid into a cup. "Okay, you need to drink this."

Isabel wrinkled her nose at the smell.

"I hate that stuff!" she protested.

"I do too, " her sister empathized, "but it'll help you feel better."

Isabel sighed, but drank it down in one gulp.

"Buena niña," her sister praised. "Do you want some water?"

Isabel nodded. She sipped gratefully. Giving the cup back to her sister, she laid down. She was about to ask if they could cuddle when she suddenly felt her stomach twist. "Ele…" she heaved before getting her sister's name completely out, throwing up everywhere. As she repeated the action, she felt Elena slip the bucket underneath of her chin.

"Isa, esta bien. It's just a quick clean up," her sister assured her.

"I'm sorry," Isabel said while catching her breath.

"Don't be. You're sick. You can't help it. Its bath time for you. Can I move the bucket yet?" Elena asked.

Isabel shook her head right before throwing up again.

"Now you can," she told her sister.

"Are you sure?" Elena asked.

Isabel nodded.

"Okay. I'll rinse it out when we get to the bathroom. Come here," with that, Elena gently lifted her sister into her arms. Entering her bathroom, she helped Isabel undress. Setting the bath water, she set Isabel in it.

Isabel started shivering right away.

"I know it's not as warm as usual. I'm sorry. It'll help your fever come down," Elena explained. Standing, she rinsed the bucket out. Once that was done, she sat down beside the tub.

"Elena, when can I get out? " Isabel whined.

"In a little while," her sister replied. "In fifteen minutes, I'll refill the tub with warm water and give you a bath."

"Okay," Isabel shivered as she spoke. Glancing around, she recognized the wallpaper. "This is your bathroom."

"Uh-huh," Elena confirmed.

Isabel frowned.

"That means I ruined your bed," she glanced down in shame.

"Don't worry about it," her sister dismissed. "I'm sorry you're sick," Elena reached out and ran a hand through Isabel's hair.

"Will you sing to me, pore favor?" her sister requested.

"Sure. What do you wanna hear?" Elena inquired.

"Mami's lullaby," the nine-year-old answered.

"You got it, " Elena swallowed as she started singing the beloved song. Halfway through, she refilled the tub with warm water. Washing Isabel down, she stood once again. Re entering the room, she set a fresh pair of warm pj's on the sink. Wrapping Isabel in a warm towel, Elena pulled her out of the tub. Helping her change, she was about to carry her back to bed when they were joined by their grandmother.

"How is she?" Luisa stepped into the room.

"Not too well. She threw up a few times," Elena informed her.

"I can take care of her since you have that meeting with Elsirano," Luisa offered. She reached out, but Elena didn't relinquish her hold on her sister.

Isabel buried her face in Elena's chest and held on tighter, letting out a whimper.

"Esta bien, Isa. Yo te tengo," Elena kissed her sister's head while rubbing her back. Turning to their grandmother, she said, "That's sweet, abuela, but I can take care of Isa myself. I'll let you know if I need help. Could you tell Elserano the meeting will have to be postponed until Monday?"

"He's come a long way, mija," Luisa frowned.

"Familia comes first. Isabel's more important," Elena countered.

Luisa sighed.

"I'll talk to him. But you should really do it."

"Gracias abuela," with that, she entered her room. Lying Isabel down on the bed Naomi used when she slept over, Elena went to strip her own.

"Elena, I'm sorry," Isabel softly said.

"Isa, stop it," Elena returned to her sister's side. Squeezing both of her hands gently, she continued to speak. "Look at me."

Isabel did so.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. Like I said, you're more important than a meeting. You will always come first. I'm sorry for this morning."

Isabel shook her head.

"I know you couldn't change abuela's mind. I was just upset and I didn't feel good. I'm sorry I was mean to you."

"I understand, believe me. I did the same thing to Mama a few times," she admitted.

"You did?" Isabel was surprised.

"Yup," Elena winked at her, "so you have nada to be sorry for. I promise," she kissed the nine-year-old's forehead. "The bath helped your fever. You don't feel as warm."

"That's good, " Isabel's eyes started to close.

"Try to rest. I love you. I'm not going anywhere," Elena stood. She finished remaking her bed and put her dirty sheets and comforter in a bag. Setting it outside her room, she returned to her sister. Lifting her into her arms again, she tucked the little girl in her newly made bed. Climbing in beside her, she pulled the nine-year-old close. "Sweet dreams, Isa. I hope you feel better," closing her own eyes, Elena was soon fast asleep, along with her sister. Little did she know how long the night was going to be…


	4. Chapter 4

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Elena of Avalor! They belong to their respective creators. I only own the idea for this story.  
Enjoy!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 4

Elena rolled over a few hours later. Opening her eyes, she reached over to her left. Finding Isabel there, she relaxed. Making sure she was warm, she kissed her forehead, stood and turned to leave.

"Elena?"

Elena turned back at the sound of her little sister's voice. Sitting down next to her, she smoothed a few strands of hair off of the nine-year-old's face.

"Isa, Estoy aqui. It's okay. Are you feeling better?"

"No!" Isabel whined. "I'm hot!"

Elena reached out and felt her sister's forehead.

"Your fever went down," she reported.

"Uh-huh," Isabel mumbled. She moved closer to her sister, laying her head against her chest. The sound of Elena's heartbeat always calmed her.

"I'm sorry you're still feeling bad," Elena planted a kiss on her sister's head. "Here," she reached over and picked up a cup from the table. Bringing it to Isabel's lips, she waited for her to take a sip.

Isabel shook her head, burying her face in Elena's chest instead.

"Isa, it'll help you. You need to drink to stay hydrated," the teenager explained.

"I'll just throw up again!" Isabel argued. "I'm tired of it!"

Elena's heart went out to her. Sighing, she hugged her close.

"I know, baby. I can almost guarantee you this will stay down. It's ice chips."

Isabel turned back around.

"I'll try it," she decided finally.

"That's my girl. Here you go."

Isabel took a few tentative sips before resuming her earlier position.

"Buena niña," Elena praised. Putting the cup back, she ran a hand through Isabel's hair.

"What time is it?" the nine-year-old inquired.

"It's after five," her sister answered.

"Did you eat dinner yet?" Isabel asked.

"Un poquito. I've been here with you since you fell asleep earlier," Elena revealed.

"Go eat. You have to take care of yourself if you're gonna help me," Isabel pointed out. "I'll be okay. If I need you, I'll come get you."

"When did you get to be so wise?" Elena kissed her sister's cheek.

"I learn from the best," Isabel winked.

"I'm not that wise," Elena dismissed.

"You are to me," her sister grinned.

"I love your sonrisa," Elena said. "Okay. I'll be back. If you need me…"

"I'll come get you," Isabel reiterated.

"I love you," Elena bent down and kissed her sister's forehead.

"I love you too, " Isabel's eyes were already closing.

Sighing, Elena left the room. She just prayed her sister felt better soon. Halfway to the dining room, she made a left. Knocking on a door, she waited for permission to enter.

"Come in!"

"Mateo, it's me. I need your help," Elena stepped into her friend's workshop.

"What's going on? I heard about Isabel. How is she?" he frowned in concern.

"Her fever's down, but she's still feeling bad."

Mateo frowned in thought. Going over to a table, he started flipping through a book.

"There's a potion that might help. My grandfather swore by it. It's said to cure anything."

"I guess we could try it. The only problem is Isa might not be able to keep it down," Elena frowned.

"I can make it taste like water," Mateo explained. "She won't taste any of the ingredients. They're all safe, just not that appetizing."

"Great," Elena sighed. "Well, we can try it."

Mateo grinned at her. With that, he got to work. Twenty minutes later, the potion was ready.

"I'll give it to her when she wakes up," Elena took the bottle from her friend. "Gracias mi amigo."

"Denada. I just hope it works," Mateo sighed.

"All we can do is try," with that, Elena left the room. Pocketing the bottle, she went in the direction of the dining room.

"Hey, Elena!"

Glancing up, Elena grinned upon seeing Naomi sitting there.

"Hola mi amiga! What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to eat dinner with you. Your abuela makes the best rice and beans!"

"That she does," Elena agreed. She thanked Ruberto as he set the plate down in front of her. Digging into her food, she and Naomi continued their conversation.

"So what did you do after the meeting was canceled?" Elena asked.

"Hung out with Mateo for a while. Then I did some leftover homework I had. Thanks for the help with those equations."

"Denada. I don't mind helping where I can, " Elena swallowed the last bite of food just as Naomi put her own fork down.

"So is it true that Skylar attempted to fly through that waterfall during a storm?"

Elena nodded.

"I told him not to do it. But Skylar has a mind of his own."

"He definitely does," Naomi agreed.

Elena giggled and shook her head in exasperation.

"Elena?"

Glancing up, Elena saw her little sister enter the room. She looked unsteady and there were tear stains on her cheeks.

"Isa," Elena stood, meeting her sister halfway to the table. Picking her up, she hugged her close. Running a hand through her hair as she sat back down, she kissed her forehead. Turning to Naomi, she said, "I need to get Isa back to bed. I'm gonna stay with her for a while."

"Okay. No problem. Do you wanna hang out tomorrow?" Naomi asked.

"We'll see. It depends on how Isa's feeling," Elena stood with her little sister in her arms. Entering her room, she tucked her back in. "There you go."

Isabel frowned.

"I'm sorry."

"You don't have anything to apologize for," Elena sat down beside her, "I told you if you needed me to come get me."

"I interrupted your time with Naomi," she countered.

"No you didn't. You're my main priority. You need me. And that's okay. Are you thirsty?"

"A little," Isabel admitted.

"Why don't you drink a little more ice chips. Then there's some medicine I want you to try. Mateo made it for you."

Isabel frowned.

"Does it smell bad?"

"No. It's like water," Elena assured her. She picked up the cup of ice chips that was mostly water by now and handed it to her sister. After taking it back, she removed the small bottle from her pocket. Holding it for her, she gently pressed it to Isabel's lips.

Isabel hesitated for a minute before taking a sip or two. Drinking the rest down, she laid her head on Elena's chest.

"There you go," setting the cup down, Elena wrapped an arm around the little girl.

"You were right. It tasted like water," her sister confirmed.

Elena nodded.

"Just try to rest. You need it. I love you," she kissed Isabel's temple.

"I'll try," Isabel hissed in pain.

"Is your stomach still hurting?" Elena frowned.

"Uh-huh," Isabel gritted.

"Esta bien. Take a deep breath," Elena coaxed.

Isabel did so and was successful the second time.

"Buena niña. If you're not better by tomorrow, we need to get you checked," Elena informed her.

Isabel sighed. She hated doctors.

"If you have to go, I'll be with you," her sister assured her.

"Okay," Isabel mumbled tiredly. She was almost asleep when her stomach started to twist. Opening her eyes, she sat up quickly.

"Isa, que esta mal?" Elena rested a hand on her sister's shoulder.

"I…I'm gonna throw…" her voice trailed off as she started to heave.

Elena grabbed the trashcan. Holding it underneath her sister's chin, she helped her endure.

Isabel let out a sob as she lost what little she had drunken in the last hour or so.

"That's my girl, that's it, just get it up," Elena encouraged.

Isabel caught her breath just before throwing up again.

"Aww, Isa…esta bien, you'll feel better soon," Elena soothed. She just prayed she was right.

Five minutes later, Isabel was able to lie back down. She buried her face in Elena's shoulder the minute her older sister wrapped her arms around her, instantly wetting her top with her tears.

"Isa, esta bien. I know you're tired, baby. I know. Yo te tengo…Evening is afalling, so rest your weary head…" she sang their mother's lullaby twice, changing some of the words. Sighing with relief when Isabel relaxed, Elena told her she loved her and encouraged her to sleep. It wasn't long before they both drifted off to dreamland. Little did Elena know how short it would last.

****

Elena felt someone shaking her shoulder a few hours later. Opening her eyes, she heard someone calling her name.

"Elena! Elena!" the voice sounded panicked.

"Isa? Que?" Elena sat up, blinking sleep from her eyes.

"Isabel let out a sob, swallowing in the process.

"Que esta mal, baby?" Elena inquired, still not fully awake.

"I don't feel good!" Isabel cried.

Elena was alert now.

"Okay," reaching over to the table, she grabbed the bucket. Wrapping an arm around her crying sister, she placed the object underneath of her chin.

"It hurts!" Isabel cried just before throwing up for the second time in five minutes.

"I know, Isa. Hopefully, you'll feel better by tomorrow. Can I move it yet?"

"Uh-huh," Isabel caught her breath as she answered.

"Are you sure?"

The nine-year-old nodded.

Once Elena had rinsed it out, she set the bucket back on the table. Climbing back into bed beside her sister, she pulled her close.

"Elena, I don't want you to get this," Isabel made to move, but Elena held fast.

"Isa, it's okay. If I do, Naomi will help me, so will our grandparents. I'm not worried," Elena kissed the top of Isabel's head. With that, she sung their mother's lullaby again. It did the trick five minutes later. "I love you," she whispered to her now sleeping sister. Looking towards the window, she sighed. "Mama, please watch over Isa," with that, she tried to get some more sleep since it was after midnight. It had been a long day. Something told Elena the next day would be no exception.


	5. Chapter 5

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Elena of Avalor! They belong to their respective creators. I only own the idea for this story.  
Enjoy!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 5

Elena awoke to the sound of soft sobs. Reaching to her left, she pulled Isabel into her arms. Running a hand through her sister's hair, she started humming. It didn't take long for the nine-year-old to fall back to sleep. All she needed was for her older sister to hold her for a while.

"You're safe. I love you," Elena softly assured her. With that, she continued to hold Isabel for the next fifteen minutes. Lying her down, she wrapped an arm around her sister, closed her eyes and was asleep before she knew it.

******

Elena was jerked awake by Isabel protesting to someone. She soon heard her crying out for her.

"Elena! Elena!"

Becoming alert, Elena sat up.

"Que? Wha-what's…" she swung her legs over the side of the bed. Standing, she was about to rescue her sister, but stopped when she recognized who had her. "Abuela, what's going on?"

"I'm gonna take Isabel back to her own room. You need some uninterrupted sleep for that planning session tomorrow, mija."

Elena sighed.

"I was getting sleep. She only woke me up twice."

Luisa shook her head.

"Let me help you take care of her. You're not alone in this. Your grandfather and I are both responsible for you two. We want to take care of you when you're sick."

"I know," Elena sighed.

"I also think we need to call for Dr. Sanchez to take a look at Isabel," their grandmother continued.

Isabel shuddered. She trusted her familia and she liked Dr. Sanchez, but she didn't want any needles.

As though reading her sister's mind, Elena spoke up in her defense.

"She's only been sick for a day and a half. It's probably just a stomach bug."

"She hasn't eaten for almost two days. It's time to get her checked," their grandmother decided. "I'll have Armando send for her. I'll be right back," with that, she gave Isabel back to Elena.

The minute their grandmother was gone, Isabel let her fear out. Tears fell, wetting her sister's shirt. She buried her face in her shoulder, holding on tightly.

"Isa…esta bien, listen, I'll be with you. I promise. I won't let anyone hurt you on purpose."

"What if abuela doesn't let you ba…because you need sleep!" she wailed.

"I'll insist on it," her sister kissed her head, "I won't leave your side for a second."

"I don't want any needles," Isabel choked on a sob as she voiced her greatest fear to the one person she trusted above any other.

"I know, baby. If you have to get one, just squeeze my hand. I'll sing to you as a distraction," her sister offered.

"Gracias," Isabel softly said.

"You don't have to thank me. That's what sisters do," Elena reminded her just as their grandmother returned.

"Dr. Sanchez is with another patient, but she said she'll be over once she's done. It shouldn't be more than an hour," Luisa informed them.

Elena nodded.

"Abuela, Isa needs me with her during the check-up."

"Of course, mija. I was going to insist you were there," their grandmother assured her. Holding her arms out, she gave her elder granddaughter a reassuring look.

Sighing, Elena kissed her sister's cheek before relinquishing her over.

"Isa, esta bien. You'll see me sooner than you think. Let abuela help you for a little while," she tried. She knew Isabel would listen to her more than she would anyone else-except for their grandparents.

"Okay," Isabel sniffed back more tears. "I love you."

"I love you too," The sixteen-year-old assured her. Stepping forward, she planted one more kiss on her sister's head. "Don't give her too much trouble."

"I won't, " Isabel mumbled.

Lying back down, Elena let her eyes close. The more she tried to sleep, she couldn't get there. The sound of Isa crying in pain in the other room didn't help. It only served to make her feel guilty. She felt like she had run out on her baby, even though she knew deep down that she hadn't. Finally, she fell back to sleep a few minutes later.

Elena's eyes opened as she felt someone gently nudging her shoulder.

"Elena? Mija, it's time to wake up. Dr. Sanchez is here," a soft female voice informed her.

"Huh? Que?" Elena blinked sleep out of her eyes as she fully awoke. "Mami?"

Luisa's heart clenched. Elena sometimes did this if she was woken from a sound sleep before she was ready.

"No, mija," Luisa truthfully told her.

"Abuela," Elena realized as she fully got her Barings. Glancing down at her blanket, she frowned. "I'm sorry."

"Mija, never apologize for missing your Mama. I miss her every day, your Papa too," Luisa pulled Elena in for a hug.

"Do you think they would be proud of me?" Elena hesitantly asked.

"I know they would," her grandmother kissed her forehead. "Come on now. Your hermana needs you."

"How's Isa doing?" Elena stood to follow her grandmother out of her room.

"Not much better. She got sick twice before she was able to fall asleep," her grandmother informed her.

"Hopefully Dr. Sanchez will be able to figure it out," Elena pushed open the door to her little sister's room as she spoke.

"Elena!" Isabel's eyes lit up a little at her sister's arrival. She immediately reached out and her sister fulfilled her need for comfort without hesitation.

Turning her attention to Dr. Sanchez, Elena got down to business.

"Hola, Dr. Sanchez. Did you find out what's wrong with Isa?"

"Not yet. She wanted to wait for me to take a look until you got here," the kind faced doctor revealed. "You need to lie her down so I can examine her."

"Isa, esta bien. I'll hold you again after Dr. Sanchez is done," Elena helped her sister to do what Dr. Sanchez had requested. Standing up, the teenager took her sister's hand in hers. "Estoy aqui," she comforted.

"Okay, sweetie, let's have a look. When did everything start?" Dr. Sanchez looked to Elena and Luisa for the answer as she gently touched the little girl's stomach.

"Isa told me her stomach hurt yesterday morning. I picked her up early from school and brought her home. She spiked a fever at school. I gave her a bath and the fever came down. But she was still in pain and she can't stop throwing up. She's only been able to keep down a little water."

I'm glad you called for me. She's in danger of becoming dehydrated. It's probably just a forty-eight hour stomach bug, but I still want to monitor her for a few hours. I'm also going to rehydrate her by starting an IV. I'll be right back," with that, she left.

"Elena, I don't want a needle!" Isabel cried. She turned fearful eyes upon her older sister, tears welling.

"Isa, it'll help you. Remember what I Told you earlier?" Elena ran a hand through her sister's hair.

"Uh-huh," Isabel choked on a sob.

"I'll sing any song you want to hear," her sister offered.

Isabel nodded, tears falling from her amber eyes.

"Isa.." Elena pulled her sister into her arms, sensing she needed a hug.

It wasn't long before Dr. Sanchez returned.

Helping Isabel lie back down, Elena extended her hand to her.

"I'm just looking," Dr. Sanchez explained. "I'll tell you everything I'm doing."

"Okay," Isabel tearfully said.

"She's just scared," Elena revealed.

"It's understandable," Dr. Sanchez said as she worked. "Okay, I think I found a vein. You're gonna feel something cold swipe across your left arm. Do you want me to count before I stick it in?"

"Pore favor," Isabel whimpered.

"Isa, look at me," Elena instructed.

Isabel did so, locking eyes with her older sister.

"Buena niña. Just keep looking at me. The jaquins are anesting way up in the trees, the scent of springtime flowers floating on the breeze. The full moon is a shinin' in the sky above…" she sang the full lullaby without Isa having to ask.

Isabel squeezed her sister's hand as the needle bit into her skin. Tears fell, but she kept her focus on Elena.

"You did a great job!" Dr. Sanchez told both girls, but more to Isabel. "Now I'm gonna give you some medicine to help your stomach feel better."

"Will it pinch?" Isabel asked, starting to get worked up again.

"No, sweetie. NO more pinches, I promise," Dr. Sanchez said earnestly. "It might feel cold."

"Okay," Isabel sighed with relief.

"Isabel?" Dr. Sanchez grabbed her attention.

The nine-year-old looked over at her.

"This medicine will also help you get some sleep."

Isabel's eyes widened. Turning to Elena, she locked fearful eyes with her sister.

"Elena, pore favor, don't let her!" sitting up, Isabel wrapped her free arm around her sister's neck.

"Isa, shh…esta bien…" turning to Dr. Sanchez, she raised her voice to a normal volume. "She's afraid the medicine will put her to sleep like it did to me when I had my wisdom teeth out two years ago."

"Isabel, sweetie, it's not that type of medicine. I promise. If I had to use that I would need Elena and Luisa's permission."

Isabel hesitated.

"Are you sure?" she tearfully asked.

"I'm sure," Dr. Sanchez replied.

"Okay," Isabel allowed Elena to help her lie back down.

"That's my girl," Elena encouraged. She took her little sister's hand again.

"Ready?" Dr. Sanchez asked.

"Yeah," Isabel mumbled. She locked eyes with her sister. As she started to feel tired, she fought it.

"Isa, you need rest," Elena bent down and kissed her forehead. "Dormir para mi . I'm not leaving you. I love you."

"Love you…" Isabel said as her eyes closed.

"May I lie with her?" Elena turned to Dr. Sanchez.

"Of course. You just need to stay on her right side."

"I'll be right back, mija," Luisa told Elena.

"Okay," Elena climbed into bed beside Isabel. Pulling her close, she was careful not to disturb the IV. "Sweet dreams, Isa," with that, Elena was soon asleep as well.


	6. Chapter 6

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Elena of Avalor! They belong to their respective creators. I only own the idea for this story.  
Enjoy!

A/N: I want to thank my friend, Sheila for her help with the Spanish!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 6

Elena awoke a few hours later to find night had fallen. She saw Dr. Sanchez reading a book in the corner.

"How's Isa?" Elena asked.

"Her fever is down significantly. I gave her some medicine to reduce it. She's still in pain, but she should be better either tomorrow or the next day. These bugs usually don't last more than a few days."

Elena sighed with relief.

"I'm glad."

"I was about to wake you up. I need to go check on another patient. I'll be back though. I gave her enough rehydration for a few hours," Dr. Sanchez informed her.

"Okay," Elena turned her attention to her little sister who was just starting to wake up.

Isabel let out a whimper as her eyes opened.

"Elena!" was the first name out of her mouth.

"Isa, esta bien. Estoy aqui," Elena rested a hand on the nine-year-old's shoulder. "How do you feel?"

"I still hurt!" Isabel cried.

"I know. Dr. Sanchez said you would feel better in a day or two. She'll be back to check on you later. Are you thirsty?"

"No," Isabel moved closer to her sister. "Elena, when can this thing come out?" she pointed to the IV in her right arm.

"Once you're better," Elena replied.

Isabel sighed. Lying her head against her sister's chest, she tried to go back to sleep. It worked until her stomach twisted. Sitting up, she clapped her free hand over her mouth.

Elena sprang into action. Grabbing the bucket off the table, she held it underneath her sister's chin not a minute too soon.

"I hate this!" Isabel cried just before throwing up again.

"I know, baby. I do too," Elena agreed.

Isabel didn't have time to say anything before throwing up for a second time. She was breathing hard, tears streaming down her face. Feeling Elena rest a hand on her shoulder, she took a deep breath.

"Can I move it?" her sister asked.

"Uh-huh," Isabel panted.

"I'll be right back," Elena stood.

"Where are you going?" Isabel asked.

"To rinse this out. Then I'm gonna get you something to drink," her sister replied.

"I'm not thirsty!" Isabel protested.

"Do you want the IV out?" Elena countered.

Isabel nodded.

"Then you need to try. Trust me, this will stay down. It's a special drink. Mami's recipe," kissing Isabel on the head, Elena turned and left the room. After rinsing the bucket out, she set it back on the table and left once again. Entering one of the two kitchens, she started preparing the drink for her sister. Finishing, she went back upstairs. "Isa, I'm back," she softly announced just in case her little sister had fallen asleep.

"What's that?" Isabel asked.

"It's the special drink I told you about. It's something Mami made for me the last few times I was sick before…" her voice trailed off. "It'll work. I promise. Do you wanna try it?"

Isabel hesitated.

"What's in it?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Nothing magical, I promise. It's just pear juice with some mango thrown in, along with a secret ingredient," her sister answered.

"Okay," the nine-year-old hedged.

"Take it slowly," Elena advised. "First, do you feel like you're gonna throw up right now?"

"No," Isabel replied.

"Okay. Give it one try," her sister bargained.

Isabel nodded uncertainly.

"You trust me, right?" Elena asked.

"Sure. It's my stomach I don't trust," Isabel clarified.

"As long as you take it slowly, you should be fine," with that, Elena picked the cup up. Holding it out to her sister, she waited for her to take a sip.

Isabel hesitated for a split second before taking the plunge. Letting the liquid enter her mouth, she swallowed. She was pleasantly surprised at how good it tasted. Taking a few more sips, she grinned.

"What do you think?" Elena aske.

"It's delicioso!" Isabel announced. "Gracias, Elena."

"Denada. I'm gonna set it down on the table. We're gonna wait a little while before you have anymore. I wanna make sure your stomach is gonna accept it. It should," she assured her.

"Okay," Isabel yawned. "Can we cuddle, pore favor?"

"Siempre," Elena climbed into bed beside her sister. Reaching out, she pulled her sister close. "Just try to rest. Yo te tengo."

"Okay," Isabel mumbled, her eyes already closing. "I love you, Elena."

"I love you too," Elena planted a kiss on her sister's cheek. Getting comfortable, she smiled to herself. She was glad she had made the decision to take care of Isabel. As she continued to hold her little sister close, Elena realized there was no other place she'd rather be.

*******

The next time Elena awoke, she discovered she and Isabel weren't alone. Dr. Sanchez was back.

"Well, your sister's improving. Her fever broke and the fluids are helping her," the doctor reported.

"Gracias para todo," Elena said.

"Denada," Dr. Sanchez replied.

"Does that mean you can take the IV out?" the sixteen-year-old asked.

"Not quite yet. I wanna make sure Isabel can keep something down first," Dr. Sanchez sat back down on the chair near Isabel's bed.

"She has," Elena told her. She pointed to the drink on the table.

"You two were asleep for three hours," Dr. Sanchez informed the teenager. "Isabel's still sleeping. When did she drink it?"

"Fifteen minutes before she fell asleep," Elena replied.

Dr. Sanchez thought for a minute.

"Let's see how she feels when she wakes up," she decided. "I don't wanna take it out too soon."

"Okay," Elena got comfortable just as Isabel started to stir.

"Elena?"

"Hey, Isa. Are you feeling better?" she kissed her forehead.

"A little. Can I have more of Mama's juice, pore favor?"

Elena giggled at her sister's choice of name for it.

"Sure," reaching over Elena picked up the cup. Once her sister was done, she put it back.

Dr. Sanchez smiled at the interaction.

"I'm going to wait another half an hour. If you're able to keep the juice down, I'll take the IV out," she told Isabel.

"Okay," the nine-year-old sighed with relief.

"Does that mean Isa's feeling better?" Elena asked.

"Mostly. Now sometimes kids will relapse. But as long as she can keep something down in small amounts, she should be okay," Dr. Sanchez told Elena.

"Okay," Elena pulled Isabel close as she spoke.

A half an hour later, Dr. Sanchez took the IV out. She reminded Elena of the possibility of a relapse in the night.

"As long as her fever stays below 102, you shouldn't need my help. But if anything seems off, don't hesitate to have Luisa send for me. I hope you feel better, Isabel."

"Gracias," Isabel softly said.

"I'm gonna leave you in Elena's capable hands," with that, Dr. Sanchez left the two sisters alone.

"I'm glad you're feeling better," Elena ruffled Isabel's hair.

"I'm glad the IV's gone," Isabel sighed with relief.

"I know you are. Why don't you try to get some more rest," Elena suggested.

"Will you tell me a story?" Isabel requested.

"Okay. About what?" her sister asked.

"Tell me about Mami, pore favor?" Isabel closed her eyes, lying her head against her sister's chest.

Elena swallowed, fighting back tears.

"What do you wanna know?" she asked.

"I remember some things, but a lot of it is fuzzy," Isabel admitted. "I remember Papa doing tricks with milk glasses and how we used to work on my inventions together. I remember Mami singing us to sleep, but that's it. A lot of things I can't remember."

Elena's heart went out to her little sister.

"I'm scared I'll forget all about them," Isabel shakily revealed, her voice full of unshed tears.

"Isa…that won't happen," Elena wrapped her arms around the nine-year-old, hugging her close.

"How do you know! Whenever I try to remember Mama and Papa, the memories don't stay long enough for me to know what they're about. I miss Mami so much!" Isabel was sobbing now, almost losing her breath.

"I'm so sorry, Isa. I know how hard it is. But you have me. I'll fill in those blanks for you. I won't let you forget," Elena determinedly vowed. "I promise. Shh…Evening is a fallin' so rest your weary head…" halfway through their mother's lullaby, Elena felt Isabel relax. Kissing the top of her head, she encouraged her to sleep. Once her little sister was in dreamland, Elena let her own tears of grief and longing fall. The only way she was going to help Isa was if she took care of herself first. Glancing down at the little girl she would die for, she whispered, "I love you, Isa," with that, Elena softly released her emotions.


	7. Chapter 7

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Elena of Avalor! They belong to their respective creators. I only own the idea for this story.  
Enjoy!

A/N: I want to thank my friend, Sheila for her help with the Spanish!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 7

Elena was jerked awake by someone shaking her shoulder much later that night. The same person was calling her name.

"Elena! Elena…Elena!"

Opening her eyes, the sixteen-year-old found her little sister looking panicked.

"Que? Wha-what's…Isa, que esta mal?" Elena sat up, accidentally pushing her sister's hand aside.

In answer, Isabel turned and ran for her sister's bathroom. Elena followed after her. Pulling her sister's hair back, Elena soothed her as the nine-year-old lost whatever she had drunken before.

"Isa…esta bien, esta bien…" Elena soothed. She rubbed her sister's back as Isabel leaned over the toilet for a second time. Elena felt helpless and she didn't like it! She knew she was helping Isabel, but she wanted to do more. "Can I tuck you back in bed yet?"

Isabel shook her head before heaving again.

"Na-now you can," Isabel caught her breath as she spoke.

"Are you sure?" Elena asked.

Isabel nodded, tears in her eyes.

"Isa, I know…bente aqui," Elena picked her sister up, hugging her close. She ran a hand through her hair as she carried her back to bed. Tucking her in, the sixteen-year-old frowned. "You're really warm," putting a hand to Isabel's forehead, her frown deepened. Reaching over, she picked up the thermometer. Sticking it underneath Isa's right arm, they waited for it to beep. Taking it out, Elena read the results. She thanked their parents when the fever was under 102. She remembered what Dr. Sanchez had said about a relapse and tried to stay calm. That was the key in order for Isabel to do the same. She took a lot of cues from her. Sighing, Elena reached out and lifted the nine-year-old into her arms again.

"Where are we going now?" Isabel whined.

"Back to the bathroom," her sister replied, "your fever's back. It's bathtime again for you."

"Elena, no! Pore favor! Yo quiero dormer!" Isabel whined.

"I know, Isa, I know. You can when it's over," they had reached the bathroom by now. Helping her sister undress, Elena set the water. Setting Isa in, she kept her calm despite the tears of frustration and exhaustion that streamed down her sister's face. Humming their mother's lullaby, Elena was successful in her task. Glancing down, she frowned when her eyes landed on something strange. Gently, she touched Isabel's right shoulder. Feeling her wince, the sixteen-year-old grew concerned. "Isa, does that hurt?"

"Yeah," she answered. "Elena, can I get out now?"

"In a few minutes. Did you hit your shoulder before you got sick?" Elena inquired.

"No," Isabel raised her eyebrows, "why? I'm really cold! I wanna get out!"

"Isa, tu necesitas esperar," Elena firmly insisted.

"Elena, I…I'm…" Isabel's voice trailed off as she swallowed hard.

"Isabel…I said-" Elena's sentence was cut short by the sudden sound of Isabel gagging. Pulling the trashcan over, Elena held it underneath her sister's chin. She soothed her as her sister emptied whatever was left in her stomach. "Isa, I'm sorry. I thought you were gonna ask me to get out again."

Isabel shook her head as she let out a sob.

Five minutes later, Elena got Isabel out of the tub. Drying her off, she helped her change. Carrying her back to bed, she tucked her in. Lying down, she pulled the nine-year-old close. Kissing her head, she ran a hand through her hair. "I love you, Isa."

"Love you…" Isabel mumbled, her eyes closing.

"Sweet dreams," Elena whispered. She soon joined her sister in dreamland.

****

Elena awoke to sun streaming into her bedroom window. Stretching, she glanced over at her sleeping sister. Leaning down, she kissed her forehead. Frowning at the heat, she resigned to waking Isabel again. She knew her sister needed rest, but this fever had to be tended to. Glancing down, Elena gasped. The red mark that she had found last night was now an angry red pattern across her sister's right arm! Getting a closer look, Elena realized the pattern looked like a wing of some kind. What was that all about? Gently, she touched the spot.

"Hmmm!" Isabel moaned.

"Shh, Isa, esta bien. It's me," Elena soothed. Gently, she nudged her shoulder away from the red rash. "Isa, come on. It's time to wake up."

Isabel swatted at her sister's hand.

Deciding to let her sleep a few more minutes, Elena stood. Leaving the room, she went for Mateo's workshop. Knocking, she entered. "Mateo? Mateo, are you here?" walking into a sitting area, Elena found Mateo asleep on a chair, a book in his lap. Smiling, Elena walked over to her friend. "Mateo. Mateo, wake up. I need your-" her sentence was cut short when her friend awakened.

"Huh?" he mumbled. He blinked in confusion. Not fully awake, he grabbed his wand.

"Mateo, no! Esta bien. It's me, Elena!" she quickly assured him.

Despite this, Mateo's mind didn't register her words.

"Leviluke!" with a flick of the wand, Elena was lifted into the air!

"Mateo! It's Elena! You're safe!" she desperately tried, closing her eyes to prevent dizziness.

"Ele…Huh? Elena?" he said, finally putting two and two together.

"Yes! Pore favor, put me down!" she ordered.

"Elena! I'm so sorry!" with that, he gently set her on her feet again.

"Muchas gracias mi amigo. Sorry for scaring you. I need your help. It's Isa," Elena explained.

"She's still sick?" Mateo frowned.

Elena nodded.

"I was giving her a bath last night and I found a red mark on her right shoulder. This morning, it spread. She told me it hurts whenever it's touched."

"Is it shaped like a bujito's wing?" Mateo's eyes widened.

"Yes. Why?" Elena was thoroughly confused now.

"Can I have a look?" he asked.

"Of course," Elena lead the way out of Mateo's room. Entering her own, she went over to the bed. Nudging Isabel's shoulder, she woke her sister.

Isabel's eyes opened slowly. Locking them with her sister's identical ones, she let out a whimper of pain.

"Elena, it hurts!" she cried.

"Isa, Mateo needs to look at your shoulder," her older sister informed her. "I'm not going anywhere."

Isabel nodded. Shivering, she moved closer to her older sister. Lying her head in her lap, she closed her eyes once again.

Elena frowned as she turned to face Mateo.

"She's exhausted, poor baby."

"I can imagine. I got food poisoning when I was six and I was sick for a week."

Elena nodded impatiently.

"Right, " Mateo realized. Turning to the younger princess he assured, "I'm not gonna hurt you. I need to take a look at your shoulder."

"Okay," Isabel buried her face in her sister's stomach.

"Isa, esta bien. I have you," Elena soothed.

"Let's see…" Mateo gently touched the red area. Hearing Isabel hiss before letting out a sob, he tried to be quick. "Yup. Just as I thought."

"What is it?" Elena desperately inquired.

Instead of answering her question, Mateo turned his attention to Isabel.

"Have you eaten anything strange lately?"

"Pore favor, don't talk about food!" Isabel begged.

"This is important," Mateo insisted. "Did you have anything new for a snack or lunch in the last week?"

Isabel recognized the tone in Mateo's voice and tried to think. It was hard when her head hurt, but she did her best.

"I traded snacks with Sara last week. Her mother made muffins with some weird fruit. Sara told me she got them when she went on vacation. Ahh!" she cried.

"Do you remember if Sara told you what they were called?" Elena asked. She was stroking her sister's hair in an effort to keep her calm.

"I don't know! The name sounded like what you put in your hair," she glanced at Elena.

"Apricot mallo?" Elena asked.

"Yeah," Isabel hissed. She squeezed her sister's hand as pain hit her stomach. "But without the apricot."

Mateo gasped.

"Mallorian Mandarina!"

"Mallorian Manda-whata?" Elena knew she sounded like Naomi, but she couldn't help it.

"Mallorian Mandarina is a fruit native to Cordova. It's used in pies, muffins and other baked goods. It contains a chemical that's usually drained out of them before they go to the Mercado to be sold. Sometimes when farmers are eager to make money, they forget to do this."

Elena's heart clenched.

"Pore favor don't tell me Isa could…" she couldn't bring herself to say the word.

Mateo didn't answer. He averted his gaze from his friend's desperate face.

"Mateo…" Elena's voice cracked with soul gripping fear on her friend's name as her grip on Isabel tightened.

"That shouldn't happen as long as we can brew the tea in time."

"What tea?" Elena grabbed the ray of hope with all her might.

"It's a special tea that will get the rest of the chemical out of her body before it can cause irreversible damage. That's why she's throwing up so much. Her body's trying to expel it."

Elena nodded.

"So do you have the ingredients?"

"Most of them," Mateo hesitated.

"What are you missing?" Elena prayed the last ingredient was easy to find.

"I need the feather of a bujito. They're only found in Cordova," he answered.

Elena nodded, a determined look crossing her face.

"Then that's where I'm going," she declared fiercely. She would do anything if it meant saving her sister. Little did she know the task would be anything but easy…


	8. Chapter 8

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Elena of Avalor! They belong to their respective creators. I only own the idea for this story.  
Enjoy!

A/N: This is where the adventure really begins!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 8

"Elena, pore favor, No te vayas!' Isabel grabbed her sister's hand, holding on for dear life.

"Isa, I have to. This is the only way you'll really feel better. I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise. I love you," with that, she extracted her hand from her sister's, bent down and hugged her close. Planting a kiss on her cheek, she ran a hand through her hair. Whispering something to her in Spanish, she pulled away, helped Isabel lie back down and stood. Turning to Mateo, she blinked hard. She couldn't fall apart now. Isa needed her to be strong. "Pore favor, cuidala para mi... Take care of her for me. If you need a break, abuela and abuelo can take over. Esteban's iffy though. If you promise him something in return, he'll do it."

"We'll hold down the fort here. Just get that feather."

"I'm on it," with that, Elena turned towards the door. Doing one of the hardest things ever, she left the room.

"Elena! NO! ELENA!" Isabel cried desperately.

The sound shattered Elena's heart in two. Forcing herself not to look back, she headed for the stairs. It was hard, especially when Isabel continued to cry out for her. She had to focus. Even as she descended the stairs, she felt a knot of guilt twist her stomach. Deep down she knew she was doing the right thing, but she also felt like she was abandoning her baby. She knew Isabel was her sister, but she felt responsible for her ever since their parents died.

'Which you were responsible for,' a nagging voice in the back of her mind chided.

"Not now! I have to focus," she forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand. Once at the bottom of the stairs, Elena took a deep breath. She turned towards the foyer and almost bumped into Luisa.

"I'm sorry, abuela," Elena apologized.

"Don't worry about it," her grandmother dismissed. Getting a good look at her elder granddaughter's face, she frowned. "Mija, what's going on?"

"Nada," Elena tried. She averted her gaze to a tapestry on the far left wall. "I need to go get something for Isa. I'll be back as soon as I can. Mateo's with her. She' safe with him," Elena explained.

Luisa nodded. She knew Elena had just told her a half truth. Even so, she wanted the whole story.

"What does she need? I could have Ruberto make-"

"I have to get it, " Elena insisted. "I promise, I'll be careful. I need to go. I love you," with that, she whirled around. She was about to take off when her grandmother rested a hand on her right shoulder. Blinking hard, Elena managed to fight the tears back.

"I know there's more to it. You know you can talk to me and your abuelo about anything. We're here for both of you," she reminded her.

"I know," Elena softly replied. "I really need to get going," gently, she broke free. Again, she had barely gone a few feet when they were joined by Esteban. Elena inwardly groaned. She did not need his input right now.

"Isabel wants you," he stated simply, glancing at his younger cousin.

Elena sighed. She wanted nothing more than to go back up and comfort her distraught sister, but she couldn't.

"She'll have me again when I get back. Why can't you help out?" the sixteen-year-old raised her eyebrows.

"I'm not good with children," Esteban informed her. "She won't stop crying out for you."

"What do you expect? She's sick. Give her a break," Elena defended her sister.

"Isabel gets away with enough as it is," Esteban retorted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Elena took a step forward. The feeling of her grandmother's hand on her shoulder was what brought her back to her senses. She stopped a few inches away from her cousin. Stepping back, she gave him space.

"She can't act like that and expect to be rewarded," Esteban explained.

Elena glared at him.

"Isa's scared and in pain. That's why she's upset. She doesn't act like this normally. If you took the time to really get to know her, you would know that."

"Elena's right, " their grandmother chimed in.

"There's nothing I can do," Esteban stated. "Besides, it's you she wants, not me."

Elena took a deep breath. She didn't want to snap at the wrong person.

"I know, but she can't have me at the moment. Pore favor, help me out this once?" Elena bargained.

"Mija, I'll do it," their grandmother cut in.

"I know you would, but you helped Isa yesterday. Feel free to pitch in, but Esteban should sit with her for a while too."

"Elena has a point," Luisa agreed.

Esteban sighed irritably.

"Do I need to remind you that you owe me one?" Elena revealed.

"No. Fine, I'll do it," he grumbled.

Elena glared at him.

"Sometimes I wonder why I picked you to be on the grand council. The only one you think about is yourself!" with that, Elena whirled around and took off.

"Elena!" Louisa called after her granddaughter with no reply.

Esteban frowned. He wasn't exactly hurt by his cousin's words, more perplexed.

"She'll apologize when she gets back," Luisa assured him. "She's just worried about Isabel."

Esteban nodded. Growling in frustration, he made his way up to Elena's room.

*****

Meanwhile, Elena reached the stable in five minutes. Hooking up her horse to a carriage, she gently spoke to her while hitching her up. Just being around Canella made her feel a little calmer. She was about to take off when someone else called her name.

"Elena!"

Whirling around, Elena frowned when she saw the owner of the voice.

"Hey, Gabe," she greeted. Turning back, she finished her task.

"Your grandmother told me you're heading out. Where are we off to?"

Elena frowned.

"With all due respect, I need to do this on my own. I can do this on my own. I'll be back," with that, she got seated and prepared to take off.

"My job is to protect you," Gabe reminded her.

"I know. Your other job is to listen to me," Elena narrowed her eyes impatiently.

Gabe was taken aback. He had never seen Elena like this before.

"I wanna help. Tell me what's going on," he rested a hand on her shoulder, only to have her jerk away.

"I don't have time. I need you to stay here. Protect Isabel."

"From what?" Gabe grew concerned.

"I don't have time to explain. Pore favor, just do it," Elena's expression softened a little.

"Are you sure you don't need me to-"

"I'm sure!" she snapped, fear of not getting there in time getting the better of her. She frowned, "Gabe, I'm sorry. I'm just…" she turned away and blinked hard.

"I've had worse things said to me," he assured her.

"I'm sorry," Elena softly apologized. "I need you to listen to me. Estas muy importante."

"Okay," Gabe sighed.

"Gracias," Elena whispered. Turning her attention to Canella, she commanded, "To Cordoba!" with that, she was finally on her way.

Gabe frowned as he watched her leave. He waited until she had rounded a bend before making a split second decision. Hitching up his own horse, he went after her. Whether she knew it or not, she needed a friend.

*****

Maenwhile, Elena was halfway to her destination. Taking a small break so that Canella could drink some water, the crowned princess let a few tears fall. This whole situation wasn't fair. Her little sister didn't deserve this. Glancing up at the sky, the sixteen-year-old softly prayed, "Mama, Papa, pore favor, watch over us both. Don't let me fail Isa." Pulling herself together, Elena was off again. She had less than ten hours to get the feather. As she saw the flag of Cordoba come into view an hour later, she sighed with relief. She had arrived at last. Riding through the gate, she dismounted once in front of the palace. After explaining she needed to see King Juan Ramon, Elena was lead into the palace.

"Pore favor, asparar aqui," the guard instructed.

Elena nodded. Sitting down, she glanced around the room. She noticed pictures of small owls on almost every inch of the wall. She had read about bujitos in history books, so she knew what they were. Spotting a basket on a table, she gasped. Lying in it were dozens of feathers! Glancing back at one of the many paintings, Elena realized the feathers in the baskets were one in the same. Standing, she went over to the table. Reaching out, her right hand brushed one when someone spoke from behind her.

"Princessa Elena?"

Pulling her hand back, Elena whirled around to find King Juan Ramon standing there. He had a welcoming smile on his face as he extended his hand towards her.

Elena shook it in kind.

"What brings you to our kingdom?" he asked.

"I need your help. My sister, Isabel…she's…" her voice trailed off as tears welled. Blinking, she forced herself to be strong.

"What is it?" King Juan Ramon gently asked. He could see the princess of Avalor was clearly distraught over the situation and he didn't want to upset her further.

"Uh, she's sick, really sick. She's gotten the flu before, but it was never this bad. Our royal sorcerer, Mateo discovered that she ate a fruit that had some kind of chemical in it. He said there's a tea that can cure her. We need the feather of a bujito for him to brew it."

King Juan Ramon nodded.

"Bente con mi, princesa Elena," with that, he lead her outside. They entered a garden surrounded by trees and a waterfall. The sight took Elena's breath away for a minute. The sound of soft hooting grabbed her attention. Glancing up, she saw a group of bujitos watching her from a tree. She managed a tiny smile for them. To her surprise, one came over and perched on her shoulder. She looked to the king.

"May I touch her?"

"Of course, princesa. They're pretty social animals. Despite this fact, I've never seen one of them connect with a newcomer before. She must sense you need a friend."

"Hola, sweetie. You're soft," Elena gently touched the bujito's back.

"This place is beautiful, Su mahestad. But why did you bring me out here?" Elena questioned.

"This particular garden always brings me peace when I'm troubled," he explained.

"Gracias," Elena softly said. "I don't mean to cut this visit short, but I really need that feather. I need to get back before eleven tonight or Isa might…" a lump formed in her throat at the terrible possibility.

"Of course," he said. He gestured to the many bujitos around them. "They often malt, so you can have any of these. If you need it to be fresh, there are some in the room you were in that will do just as nicely. They're real too."

"Gracias," Elena sighed with relief. Finally, it looked like things were turning around at last. Following Juan Ramon back into the palace, Elena's thoughts drifted to her little sister. She prayed Isa was hanging in there.

*****

Meanwhile, back at the palace, Isabel's eyes opened slowly. Glancing around, she frowned when she saw Esteban sitting next to her bed. She had hoped against hope Elena might have gotten back by now.

"Are you feeling better?" Esteban asked. He was concerned for his youngest cousin, despite what Elena had called him. He just wasn't good at entertaining her.

"No!" she whimpered. "Is Elena back yet?"

"No," Esteban replied. "Are you thirsty?"

Isabel shook her head.

"Mateo said I can't have anything to drink until I'm better," she explained.

Esteban nodded. Privately, he wondered how good the royal sorcerer really was at his craft.

"Is Mateo done eating yet?" Isabel asked.

"I don't know," her cousin answered truthfully.

"You don't have to stay with me. You can get abuela," Isabel tried to get comfortable as she spoke.

Esteban didn't know what to say to that. He hadn't expected the little girl to be so intuitive.

"I can stay for a few minutes," he consented.

"Gracias," Isabel nodded. She was about to say something else when her stomach twisted. She sat up. Grabbing for the bucket on the table, she ended up knocking it over instead.

Trying to be helpful, Esteban bent down and picked it up. He went to hand it to the nine-year-old at the same moment she heaved, throwing up everywhere-including on him. He jumped back as it splattered on his shirt.

Letting out a sob, Isabel leaned over the bucket as her stomach rebelled again.

Esteban was trying to stay calm on the outside, while inside he was fuming. He knew it hadn't been Isabel's fault, but he hated getting dirty.

"I want Elena!" Isabel wailed right before throwing up for a third time.

"I know how you feel," Esteban mumbled. With that, he stood. Halfway down the hall, he ran into Naomi.

"What happened to you?" Naomi raised her eyebrows when she saw his shirt.

"Isabel needs help," was his clipped reply.

Naomi glared at him.

"You left her alone?" not waiting for an answer, she rushed past him. Getting into the room, her heart broke at the sight. Rushing to the young girl's side, she took over holding the bucket for her.

"It's okay, kiddo. You'll feel better soon. Elena will be back with medicine for you in a little while," Naomi just prayed she was right. "Let's get you cleaned up, huh? Is it okay if I move the bucket?"

"Uh-huh," Isabel replied. Catching her breath, she tried to calm down. Now that Naomi was here, the nine-year-old felt better. She wasn't Elena, but she was a close second as far as the little girl was concerned. Once more, Isabel knew Naomi wouldn't leave her when she needed help. After Isabel was tucked back in bed, she tried to sleep. Hugging the jaquin Elena had given her, she reached her other hand out to Naomi.

"I'm not going anywhere," Naomi assured her. "Do you wanna hear a story?"

"Pore favor," Isabel mumbled as her eyes started to close. She winced as more pain hit her stomach. She just prayed Elena would get back soon...


	9. Chapter 9

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Elena of Avalor! They belong to their respective creators. I only own the idea for this story.  
Enjoy!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 9

Back in Cordoba, Elena stared down at the feathers lining the basket. She knew it didn't matter which one she chose. Even so, she couldn't tear her eyes away from the sight. Selecting a brown and white one, she carefully picked it up. Turning to Juan Ramon, she smiled for the first time since before everything had started with Isabel.

"Gracias. You don't know how much you've-" a sudden rumbling sound cut her off. Before she knew it, she was trying to stay upright as the floor started to shake. Her new bujito friend was doing fine since she could fly.

"Princessa!" Juan Ramon grabbed her arm and pulled her down so she wouldn't get injured.

"Gracias. What was that all about?"

"I have an idea, but I don't want to say anything unless I'm sure," he replied. "Pore favor, espar aqui. I'll be back."

Elena nodded. Sitting on the floor, she took a deep breath. Gazing up at the sound of wings, she was soon joined by her new friend. "Esta bien," she stroked the bujito's head reassuringly. "I'm scared. If I don't get back home soon, my sister might…" she blinked hard.

As if to comfort her, the bujito rested a wing on the sixteen-year-old's shoulder.

"Gracias," Elena sighed just as Juan Ramon returned.

"You must leave now," he urgently informed Elena.

"Why?" Elena stood.

"When you took the feather, you awakened the yakalli. He's upset you took it," he explained.

Elena frowned.

"I'm sorry if I caused any problemas, but Isa needs this," she held up the feather for emphasis.

Juan Ramon looked confused.

"Isabel," Elena corrected herself.

"I understand. If it were up to me, I'd give it to you. You need to speak with the yakalli directly," he informed her.

"I'm sure he can be reasoned with," Elena confidently insisted. She followed Juan Ramon back outside. They approached a carriage. At Elena's puzzled look, the king explained.

"We need to go to him. He lives near a river."

Elena nodded. She got in after Juan Ramon. It didn't take them long to reach their destination. Elena gasped when she heard more bujitos. Her new friend answered her fellow friends in kind.

"He lives in there," Juan Ramon pointed to a patch of forest that had two dirt mounds surrounding it. "You must go in alone."

Elena nodded.

"I'm not totally alone," she patted her new friend's back. Entering the patch of forest, Elena took a deep breath. She could do this. She had to, for Isa.

. "Hola? Hello? Anyone here? Senior Yakalli?" Elena called out.

For a moment there was silence except for the bujitos around her. Just as she was about to turn back, she heard more rumbling. Fearing another quake, Elena dove for the ground. When none came, she slowly stood again. "Sorry, girl," she softly apologized to her bujito companion. A voice made Elena jump in surprise.

"Who dares to seek me out?"

Elena took a deep breath. It was now or never.

"I'm princess Elena. I need to ask you for an important favor."

The Yakalli looked at the teen with curiosity.

"I'm a reasonable guardian. What is this favor?"

Elena steeled herself to explain. A small nip on her shoulder from the bujito gave her the courage to keep going.

"I need a bujito feather. My little sister is really sick. If I don't get a feather to take back home so my friend can make her a special medicine, she could…pore favor, will you allow me to have one?"

The Yakalli thought for a few minutes. In truth, he felt bad for her plight, but that didn't change his answer.

"I'm afraid I cannot grant my permission, princesa."

"Por que? My sister could…You have to help!" Elena desperately pleaded. "I only need one."

"That's where you're wrong. I need to do no such thing. All Humans do is cause damage and pain to these beautiful creatures of the sky. Why should I help one now? My first priority is to protect the bujitos. And here you come asking to take something of theirs. Not only that, but you've captured one," he indicated the bujito contentedly sitting on Elena's right shoulder.

"I didn't kidnap her! She connected with me. I wouldn't take what isn't mine. My parents and grandparents taught me better," Elena fiercely defended herself.

"I've never heard of a bujito bonding with a Human before," the Yakalli frowned.

"Well it looks like this one did," Elena gently stroked the bujito's back. "Pore favor, let me have what I came for…"

"No," he stated.

Elena felt the last hope for Isabel slipping away like sand through her fingers. Turning around, she made her way back to Juan Ramon. From behind her, the Yakalli called for the bujito still accompanying the crowned princess to return to him. To Elena's satisfaction, she didn't listen. Elena was almost out of the forest when the ground started to rumble again. This time, she wasn't so fortunate. Falling on her right side, she hissed as pain shot up every inch of it. She was about to try and stand when a male voice cautioned against it. A very familiar one.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, crowned princess. Stay down until the area is safe."

"Gabe? How did you? What are you doing here? I told you to stay behind," she reminded him.

"You're fortunate I have problems with authority sometimes," he smirked.

Elena glared at him.

"In truth, I was worried about you. What's going on?" he earnestly asked.

Elena squeezed her eyes shut. Shaking her head, she blinked hard against tears.

"Isa's…she's sick. At first we thought it was the stomach flu. We even had Dr. Sanchez examine her. She agreed with us, saying it was going around at Isa's school. But Mateo found out it's…uh…it's more serious. I came here to get an ingredient for a tea that can cure her. But the Yakalli won't let me have the feather. I promised Isa I'd protect her. Now when it really matters, I failed. She's gonna…and it's my fault…" Elena turned away as tears fell freely over her tan cheeks. "We've already lost so much. I can't lose…Isa's…I can't lose her…"

"Hey, hey, it's okay, listen to me. We're gonna figure this out, " Gabe tried to assure her.

Elena shook her head.

"It's not okay! Isabel doesn't deserve this! I should be able to help her. I'm her older sister. It's my job. None of this is okay! Now I'm probably going to lose her..." throwing her hands in the air in frustration, she turned around and ran for it.

"Elena! Elena, wait!" Gabe called after her.

Elena heard him, but didn't respond. Catching her breath after ten minutes, she glanced around. Realizing she was near a river, she let the sound calm her a little. Hearing a soft sound in her left ear, Elena sighed.

"I'm sorry, girl. How can I convince the Yakalli to help me? I'm not leaving without the feather. I won't let Isa down," her voice grew stronger with determination. Wiping at her eyes, she put her mind to work. There had to be a solution somewhere. A compromise of some kind that could be made. Elena was startled out of her thoughts by the sound of her bujito friend taking off. Following the creature's line of vision, Elena gasped. It looked like something had torn through this part of the forest, destroying what looked like little houses. Staring at the destruction, Elena got an idea. It took her ten minutes, but she was able to find her way back to King Ramon's palace.

"Elena, you're okay!" Gabe looked relieved upon seeing her.

Elena ignored him for now.

"Your royal guard told me what happened with the Yakalli," Juan Ramon frowned. "I'm sorry."

"Gracias. But I think I know a way to get him to change his mind! Bente con mi. Hurry!" with that, Elena lead the way back to the sight. "Su mahastad, do you think a construction crew can help me fix these up?" Elena asked.

"I suppose so. It'll take an hour though," he cautioned.

"We're okay. We have until eleven. It's only three. It only takes two hours to get home," she assured him.

"I'll be back," with that, the king left them alone.

"Do you think we really have time for this?" Gabe asked.

"It's Isa's best chance," Elena answered.

Before Elena knew it, the project was almost complete. She grinned at the progress. She had done most of the work with the construction crew pitching in and giving her instructions. "I'll be right back," with that, she took off towards the Yakalli's home. Entering, she sent a prayer up to her parents. "Pore favor, let this work. Senior Yakalli? It's me, princesa Elena."

"How dare you come back here," he appeared before her, glaring in irritation.

"Listen, I have something to show you. A surprise," she explained.

"What could a Human do for me and my winged friends?" he dismissed.

"Come with me and you'll find out," Elena prayed he would agree.

The Yakalli thought about it before nodding reluctantly.

"Great! I promise, you won't be disappointed," turning around, she led the way back to the newly made sight. She allowed the Yakalli to go first once they got there.

Glancing around, the creature's face broke into a smile. Turning back to the princess, he asked, "Did you do this?"

"Yes," she replied. "I saw how destroyed the bujitos homes were and I wanted to help. I asked King Juan Ramon to assist and he agreed. Now the bujitos have new homes."

"And I will pass a decree so nobody will ever harm them again," Juan Ramon said determinedly.

"Thank you. No other Human has ever done anything so thoughtful for us before," the Yakalli admitted.

"It was my pleasure," Elena bowed. "While I did the work, it was Ember who alerted me to it," she gently rubbed the bujito's head.

The Yakalli nodded.

"She really appears to have bonded with you, princess. I won't stand in her way of a new home with someone who cares about her. Her place is with you."

"Gracias Senior Yakalli," Elena felt a small weight lift off her shoulders.

"There's only one more thing for you to do," the Yakalli continued.

"Que?" Elena was puzzled. Had they missed a spot during the renovation?

The Yakalli smiled. Extending something towards the teen, he watched her eyes widen in realization.

Taking the precious object in her left hand, Elena could hardly get the word out as a lump formed in her throat and grateful tears welled in her eyes.

"Graci…Gracias, Senior Yakalli. On behalf of me and my entire familia, Muchas gracias." Turning to Gabe, she said, "Come on. It's time to go home." After thanking Juan Ramon for all of his help, Elena climbed back into the carriage with Gabe next to her. Silence fell between them for the first ten minutes of the journey. Finally, Elena broke it. "Gabe, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken my fear and frustration out on you. I promise to work on it in the future."

Gabe nodded.

"I forgive you, Elena. I know you're scared for Isabel."

Elena nodded. Now that they were on their way home, fear gripped her heart in a vice once again. She just prayed they got there in time. Patting Ember's back, Elena concentrated on the journey. Something told her she would need strength for what lay ahead.

******

The journey took an hour and a half, but to Elena, it felt like a thousand. The minute she saw her home come into view, she resisted the urge to jump from the carriage while it was still in motion. She managed to wait until Canella had stopped before jumping down. Entering the palace, she went straight up to Isabel's room. Getting there, she found her little sister fast asleep with Mateo, Naomi and Luisa watching over her. Naomi had the nine-year-old in her arms.

"Gracias for taking care of her," was Elena's greeting to everyone there.

"Mija, you're back," Luisa stood and embraced her granddaughter or at least tried to. As she did so, she let out a surprising noise when she saw the creature on her shoulder.

"I'll explain later," Elena assured her. "Let's just say Ember was a gift from a special new acquaintance."

"Did you get the feather?" Mateo asked.

"Yup," Elena held it out to him.

"Excellente. I'll go and make the medicine. I'll be back in a half an hour," with that, he left.

Elena went over to her sister's bed. Sitting down, she held her arms out.

Naomi gently handed Isabel over.

"I'm going to make you some of your favorite tea," Luisa announced. With that, she left the two best friends and young princess alone.

"So what did I miss?" Elena asked.

Naomi sighed.

"Well I wouldn't let Esteban watch Isabel when she's sick ever again. I took over because he decided leaving her when she was throwing up and clearly afraid was a good idea."

Elena glared towards the hallway.

"I'll talk to him later," she vowld.

"Other than that, everything else was all right. Isabel threw up a few times, then she was able to sleep."

"Gracias, mi amiga," Elena sighed with relief. She was about to say something else when Isabel stirred in her arms.

The little girl let out a whimper before settling down as her eyes opened.

"Elena," she realized.

"Hey, Isa. Did Naomi take good care of you?"

"Better than Esteban," Isabel replied.

"Don't worry. I won't ask him to help you when you're sick again," her sister promised.

"I missed you," Isabel snuggled into her sister's hold.

"I missed you too. I'm back now. You have me for the rest of the night. Listen, Mateo's making you some medicine that will help you feel better," Elena explained.

"I'm not drinking anymore magic stuff!" Isabel declared.

"You might not have to," the teen assured her.

Isabel sighed with relief.

The sound of soft hooting grabbed everyone's attention.

"She's bonita!" Isabel commented, almost sounding like her old self.

"She definitely is," Elena agreed.

"What's her name?" her sister inquired.

"Ember," Elena replied.

"Is she friendly?" Naomi asked.

"Very," her best friend smiled a little.

"Can I Pet her, pore favor?" Isabel asked.

"When you're better," Elena answered.

The three passed the last twenty-minutes they had to wait talking about this and that while Isabel rested in her sister's lap. It wasn't long before Mateo rejoined them.

"I've got it!" he announced.

"Great! Let's get Isa better," Elena urged.

Mateo nodded.

"I need you to hold her," he spoke directly to Elena.

"No problema," she said as she adjusted her sister.

"You don't understand. I need you to sit on the bed, so Isabel can lay her head in your lap. You need to prevent her from moving her right arm at all cost. It's muy importante."

"Okay," Elena resituated herself. "I thought she was gonna drink it."

Mateo shook his head.

"It's too risky. There's only one way to get it into her system."

"Which is?" Elena felt a sense of unease come over her at the look on Mateo's face.

In answer, Mateo held up his tamborita.

Elena was still confused.

"I have to carve a path into her skin where the rash is, then pour the potion on the mark. It'll absorb it and hopefully work. I'm not gonna lie to either of you. This is going to hurt."

Isabel locked frightened eyes with her sister for the fifth time in two days. Tears were already welling at Mateo's words.

Elena responded by pulling her close. Running a hand through her hair, she whispered loving reassurances to her in Spanish and English. Helping her sister get resituated, the sixteen-year-old locked eyes with Mateo.

"If it'll make Isa better, I'll help in whatever way I can," she vowed.

Mateo nodded.

"It will. Your job is to keep her as calm as possible. Sing to her, tell her a story, anything you can think of. Just keep her attention on you. Also, do your best to prevent her from moving."

"Gotcha," Elena replied. While she was composed on the outside, inside she was shaking. She prayed this worked. As she watched Mateo prepare to start the procedure, she forced herself to focus on Isa.

"Isa, esta bien. Yo te tengo. All you need to do is look at me. Just like earlier," she gently instructed.

"Elena, I'm scared!" Isabel admitted.

"I know, baby. I am too. But I promise, this will make you feel better. You trust me, right?"

Isabel nodded, unshed tears in her eyes.

"Okay, Elena, do you have her?" Mateo asked.

"Yes," Elena answered.

Mateo nodded.

"Okay, here we go…"

Elena forced herself to concentrate on her task. As she started singing their mother's lullaby, the sob of pain that issued from her little sister's mouth tore her heart in pieces. Despite this, Elena continued the song. Little did she know she was in for a very long night…


	10. Chapter 10

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Elena of Avalor! They belong to their respective creators. I only own the idea for this story.  
Enjoy!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 10

Isabel's fearful and painful cries grew louder as the procedure continued. Elena's heart broke with the knowledge that she couldn't protect her from this. She just prayed it worked.

"Elena!" Isabel cried desperately.

"Whatever you do, you need to keep Isabel still," Mateo reminded his friend.

"I know!" Elena said. She had to raise her voice slightly to be heard over Isabel's cries of distress.

"Elena! it hurts!" Isabel wailed, choking on her sobs as more pain hit. "It hurts!"

"Isa, I know…Yo te tengo. I'm not leaving. This'll help you feel better," Elena bent down and kissed her sister's head. She chanced a glance at Mateo, trying to gage how much longer it would take. Not being able to catch her friend's eye, she turned her attention back to her sister whose cries had become louder in the last minute or so. "Isa, esta bien, esta bien…"

"ARE YOU SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING?" Naomi poked her head back into the room. She practically had to shout to be heard.

Elena nodded in answer for Mateo.

"Isabel's scared and in pain. Even if she wasn't hurting, sometimes vocal distress is a coping tool!" Elena explained. Even though she knew it was true, she wanted to help her sister calm down. She hated hearing her this upset. The last time Isabel had been like this was the night after she had been freed from the painting due to nightmares.

'Mateo, pore favor, finish up soon,' Elena thought as she blinked hard against tears of her own. Starting to sing another song called "My Time" the teenager was successful in gaining her sister's attention. She hadn't sung the song since journeying with Sofia back to Avalor, so this was the first time Isabel heard it. While her sister was still in tears, Elena had her full attention.

Five minutes later, Mateo spoke up.

"Okay, now I'm gonna put the potion on the wound," he informed the sisters. "After that, we just have to wait," he handed Elena the bucket as he spoke.

Elena nodded, still singing to Isabel.

"This is my time…my time reclaim what was ours long ago. This is my time to stand up with honor and pride. My time, I've come too far to be denied…"

"There we go," Mateo announced. "Now the waiting game begins."

"How do we know if it worked?" Elena asked. She had finished singing a minute before.

"She'll start expelling the chemical. Also, the rash will go away," Mateo replied. "Once the rest of the chemical is out of Isabel's system, I'll wrap her shoulder and she can rest. She should be feeling better by tomorrow sometime. She'll probably be eating again by tomorrow night or the next day. Start her off slowly."

"I know," Elena assured him. To her sister she gently instructed, "Isa, take a deep breath. Esta bien. It's all over, baby. It's over," she rubbed the nine-year-old's back as her sister coughed while trying to do so. "That's it. You're gonna be okay…"

Isabel tried and succeeded after a few minutes.

"Again," Elena requested.

Isabel obeyed.

"Buena ninia," Elena kissed her cheek.

"Elena, can we cuddle, pore favor!" Isabel begged.

Elena looked to Mateo.

"Go ahead, but you need to keep her right arm the way it is," he told her.

Elena nodded. Gently, she helped her sister sit up.

Isabel rested her head against Elena's chest. Closing her eyes, she finally started to relax.

"Is that better?" Elena softly asked.

"Uh-huh," Isabel replied. Her tears were slowly stopping.

"I'm glad," her older sister ran a hand through her hair. Turning to Mateo, she smiled gratefully. "Gracias para todo," she said.

"Denada. I'm gonna stay until I'm sure Isabel is on the mend," he put the stuff away and got comfortable in a chair.

Elena nodded.

"Is it okay to come back in?" Naomi poked her head into the room.

"Sure," Elena consented.

"How's Isa?" Naomi entered with Ember on her shoulder. The second the bujito saw her friend, she made to fly over.

"Ember, esparar," Elena firmly commanded. She made sure her tone wasn't harsh.

Ember hesitated before going back to Naomi.

"Did it work?" Naomi turned to Mateo.

"We'll know in a little while," Mateo replied.

Elena, I'm…I…" Isabel suddenly sat up, clapping her free hand over her mouth as her stomach twisted.

Elena put the bucket in place, soothing her little sister as she vomited. The sixteen-year-old just prayed this would be the last night Isabel would have to endure this.

"Isa…esta bien. There you go, that's my girl. Just get it up…" she encouraged.

"When she's done, I need to see it, " Mateo told his friend.

Elena nodded.

"Can I move it?" she asked her sister.

Isabel shook her head before heaving again. Once she was done, she nodded.

Elena handed the object to Mateo before resuming comforting Isa.

"The medicine's definitely working," Mateo reported.

"Gracias Mama," Elena whispered. She took the bucket back not a minute too soon.

"Isa…I know, baby. I know. This won't last much longer," Elena comforted.

Isabel hoped her sister was right. She was tired of this whole thing!

A half an hour later, things started to calm down. Isabel was resting in her sister's lap, letting her singing lull her to sleep. She hadn't thrown up for the past fifteen minutes, which was progress in Mateo's opinion.

"I'm glad Isa's finally truly feeling better," Elena commented.

"Me too," Naomi agreed.

"Isabel might throw up once or twice more tonight. This is because either there might be a tiny amount of chemical left or her body thinks it still needs to get rid of it," Mateo explain. "I would keep the bucket handy until tomorrow at least. There's a chance it's just a reaction. In that case, just hold her and try to stay perfectly still. If it's just a reflex of her body, the feeling should pass in time," Mateo explained.

"Okay," Elena said. "I know what that feels like. I had that problema when I had food poisoning when I was fourteen."

"That was an interesting Navidad according to Isabel," Naomi commented.

"It certainly was," Elena agreed. "Mateo, go get some sleep. You deserve it. You've helped us out tremendously. I can take care of Isa from here. I'll come get you if anything goes wrong."

Mateo hesitated, but finally nodded.

"I need to wrap her shoulder first," he left and returned with some supplies. After he was done bandaging Isabel's wound, he bid both sisters and Naomi Buenas nochas and left them alone.

Elena yawned.

"You look like you could use some sleep too," Naomi frowned in concern.

"Ember, bent aqui," Elena held out her left arm towards the bujito.

Ember obliged, settling on Elena's left shoulder.

Naomi grinned.

"Well it looks like she understands Spanish. Who knew?"

Elena let a little giggle escape her lips while rolling her eyes. As she did so, she realized it was the first time she had laughed since before Isabel got sick. It was nice to do it again. Glancing down at her sleeping sister, the crown princess prayed this was the turning point for all of them. Getting comfortable, Elena kissed her sister on the cheek. "Buena sueñas, Isa," with that, she let her eyes close, joining her sister in sleep minutes later. It had been a long day for everyone-especially for the Flores sisters.

Naomi grinned at the sight. Wrapping a blanket around both her best friend and her sister, the blonde made herself comfortable on the daybed. Soon, the room was quiet, except for the soft hoots of Ember. After a few minutes, she folded her wings and fell asleep on Elena's shoulder.

*****

Elena was woken up a few hours later by a soft, tearful voice calling to her.

"Elena…Elena!"

Opening her eyes, Elena found Isabel facing her, tears streaming down her face. Sitting up, a weird, stale sort of smell hit the teenager's nose.

"Isa, tu tiene mal sueña?" Elena rested a hand on her sister's uninjured shoulder.

Isabel shook her head. She lowered her gaze, her cheeks heating up in embarrassment.

"No," she softly replied.

"Are you hurting?" Elena inquired.

"Un poqito," Isabel replied.

Elena held her arms out, but Isabel didn't move into them as per usual. Elena tried to pull her close, but her sister backed up. The strange thing was, her hand came away wet after the minimal contact.

"Isa, what's going on?" You never refuse my comfort," Elena was growing worried. This wasn't like Isabel.

"I can't…you'll be mad," the nine-year-old whispered.

"I've never gotten mad at you for something you couldn't help. Talk to me," Elena gently requested.

Isabel hesitated for a minute or two. She still wasn't sure she could tell her sister.

Just then, a new voice broke into the conversation.

"Elena? What's…what's going on?" Naomi yawned in the middle of her sentence.

"Nada, mi amiga. Go back to sleep," Elena told her.

"Are you sure?" Naomi made to sit up, but the warm blanket made her reconsider.

"Si," Elena assured her.

"Okay," Naomi closed her eyes and was back to sleep not long after that.

Shaking her head, Elena turned her attention back to Isabel.

"Isa, pore favor, tell me what's going on. I wanna help, but I can't if I don't know."

"I..I had…an accident," Isabel all but whispered. The fact that she was still staring at the blanket meant that her sister had barely heard her.

"Que?" Elena asked.

"I…I had an accident," Isabel admitted, a little louder this time.

Elena was about to ask what kind when the pieces started falling into place. The reason Isa didn't want her to hold her, the wetness Elena had felt when she had attempted to pull Isa into her arms. Sighing, she reached her arms out again. This time, she was successful in pulling her sister close.

"Ya-you're not mad?" Isabel asked.

"Of course not! This wasn't your fault," Elena kissed her head. "It's just a quick clean up. Come on, let's get you into a bath. I Promise, it'll be a warm one," with that, Elena lifted her sister into her arms. Carrying her to her bathroom, she helped her undress. Setting the water to warm, Elena gently set Isabel in the tub. Hearing a soft sob, she glanced down. Sitting beside the tub, she gently ran a hand through her sister's hair. "Isa…esta bien. You're not in trouble. It's nada to get upset about. It happens."

Isabel nodded, tears streaming down her face.

"Ba-but I'm not little anymore!" she protested.

Elena fought the urge to remind her she was still a little girl. It wasn't what she needed to hear right now.

"You're right. But this sometimes happens when you get sick."

"It does?" Isabel sniffed back more tears.

Elena nodded.

"It happened to me when I was twelve and got the stomach flu really badly," Elena revealed.

Isabel gasped.

"You?"

"Yup. I promise, wetting the bed is normal in these circumstances," her older sister assured her.

Isabel nodded.

"Gracias, Elena. You won't tell anyone, will you?"

Elena shook her head.

"Nope. It'll stay between us. Now let's get you in a warm set of pj's and back in bed. We both need more rest."

"I'm sorry," Isabel softly apologized.

"Isa…remember what I told you yesterday?" her sister firmly stated.

Isabel nodded.

"Que yo dece?" Elena prompted.

"I don't have to be sorry for needing you," the nine-year-old recalled.

"Exactly," Elena kissed Isabel's forehead after helping her out of the tub. She was relieved when her sister felt cool. Helping her into her pj's, she carried her back to her room. "Go lie down in your bed. I'll be there in a few minutes," she whispered so that Naomi wouldn't wake up.

Isabel frowned.

"Are you sure you don't need my help? I'm the one who made the mess," she glanced down in shame.

"I'm sure," Elena went over to her. Kneeling down, she lifted her sister's chin so they were locking eyes. "You couldn't help it. I promise. I love you," hugging the little girl close, she stood. Once Elena had stripped her bed and remade it, she opened a window to air the room out. She also put a bowl of sweet smelling flowers on her dresser. Once that was done, she left the room. Turning back, she beckoned to Ember. To her surprise, the owl stayed put. Deciding to let her sleep, the teen made her way to her little sister's room. Climbing into bed beside her, she pulled Isabel close. "Buenas sueñas, Isa."

"You too," Isabel mumbled as her eyes closed. "I love you."

"I love you too," Elena combed a hand through her sister's hair until her own eyes started to close. Before she knew it, she was on her way to sleep once again. Hopefully they would both sleep until morning this time.


	11. Chapter 11

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Elena of Avalor! They belong to their respective creators. I only own the idea for this story.  
Enjoy!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 11

Isabel awoke a little while later. Lying there for a minute, she noticed it was still dark outside. Hissing in pain, she tried to stay quiet. She didn't want to wake her sister. Elena had already done more than enough for her. Suddenly swallowing hard, the nine-year-old tried to breathe through it. She prayed the feeling would just go away.

"Isa?"

Isabel tried to act like nothing was wrong at the sound of her sister's slightly groggy tone. She hoped if she did, Elena would go back to sleep, getting the rest she so desperately needed. The idea went out the window when more pain hit, causing the young girl to let out a whimper. She soon felt Elena's hand on her shoulder.

"Isa, que esta mal?" her older sister's voice sounded much stronger all of a sudden.

"Nada," Isabel tried.

"Nice try, poqito hermana. I know something's wrong. Talk to me," she ran a hand through Isabel's hair as she spoke.

"No!" Isabel jerked away, causing more pain to hit. Despite this, she moved away from her sister. The only problem was, she didn't realize how close the edge of the bed was. Feeling her older sister pull her back from falling, she tried to pull away again, but Elena was too strong.

"Gracias," she tearfully said. Still, she tried to break free. "Elena, let go! Estoy bien."

"No, you're not," Elena frowned as she heard the tears in her little sister's voice. "Are you mad at me?"

"No," Isabel said a little too quickly for her sister's liking.

Elena thought of pursuing the subject, but decided to let Isabel come to her. She wouldn't accomplish anything by pushing her to talk.

"Then what's-" Elena started to ask, but was interrupted by Isabel shouting.

"Just leave me alone! Pore favor!"

"Isabel!" Elena was shocked. "Where is this coming from?" she let go as she spoke.

"Pore favor, go back to your own room," Isabel pleaded.

"I'm not leaving you," Elena declared.

"Elena, pore favor…just go…" Isabel turned her back on her sister while choking on a sob.

"Isa, I'm not leaving you when you're clearly upset," Elena insisted. "I won't touch you if you want space, but you're stuck with me for the night."

Isabel sighed, but otherwise, didn't answer. Closing her eyes, she just prayed the pain would go away. Before the nine-year-old knew it, she was drifting off to sleep again. She thought she felt Elena kiss her forehead and whisper, "I love you," but she couldn't be sure.

Meanwhile, Elena lie awake, feeling like Isabel had slapped her. Her little sister had never refused her comfort or help when she was sick before. What had just happened? Deciding to give Isa what she wanted, the sixteen-year-old stood. Glancing back, her heart broke at the painful expression on the little girl's face. It was clear something was wrong. Hopefully, Isabel would come to her before it got out of hand. Leaving her sister's room, Elena reentered her own. Fighting back tears, she crawled into her bed. Feeling something flutter down beside her, she rested a hand on Ember's back. Feeling tears well, Elena blinked again. Despite her efforts, they fell anyway. Remembering she wasn't alone, the sixteen-year-old tried to keep her emotional state to herself. Failing as a soft sob escaped her lips, she prayed Naomi would stay asleep.

"Elena?" a semi groggy voice addressed her a few minutes later.

Elena wiped at her eyes even as more tears fell.

"Yeah?" she tried to sound normal. Hearing Naomi sit up, Elena resigned to accepting her best friend's help.

"Are you okay?" Naomi frowned. Pushing the covers off, she stood. Going over to her best friend, she sat down beside her. Resting a hand on her shoulder, her concern grew when she felt Elena shaking. " Hey, hey, talk to me. What's going on?"

Elena locked her flowing brown eyes with Naomi's blue ones as a sob escaped her lips even as she tried to hold it in.

"Come here…" Naomi pulled the older teen into her arms. Running a hand through her hair, she assured her she was there. "Shh…What happened?"

"Isa…sha-she's…" Elena started, but couldn't finish due to more tears.

"It's okay… She's gonna be fine, thanks to you and Mateo," Naomi reminded her. "It was just a nightmare, sweetie."

Elena was used to Naomi calling her that from time to time, so she didn't comment. Shaking her head, she tried to get her emotions under control without success.

"Isa…Isa's mad…sha-she's mad at…told me to leave her…" her voice trailed off as another heart wrenching sob escaped her throat.

"Elena…Isabel's just frustrated. She's been through a lot in the last few days. You both have. She didn't mean it. She loves you."

"She meant it, " Elena wiped at her eyes, "she doesn't yell a lot. And rarely at me. She has a right to be mad. I Left her. I should never have-"

"You had to," Naomi reminded her best friend, "she needed that feather."

"I know," Elena whispered, tears in her voice. Taking a shaky breath, she continued to speak. "When I thought Isa was going to…I might lose her…I felt like my world was crashing in around me. I was going out of my mind…I hadn't felt that kind of fear in a long time. Not since…" she choked on another sob while pushing unpleasant memories out of her mind.

Naomi just held her close, hoping she was helping in some small way.

"I love that little girl with all I have in me," Elena revealed. "I hated leaving yesterday. I felt like I was abandoning her. And I was…"

"You need sleep," Naomi advised.

"I can't!" Elena insisted.

"I'll lie with you just like I did the time you got overheated after going on that hike a few months ago," her friend offered.

"Don't remind me," Elena sighed. Despite the fact that she was still upset, she allowed her best friend to help her lie down. She laid her head on Naomi's chest and closed her eyes even though tears were still falling.

"It's normal to let go every once in a while," Naomi counseled, "sometimes it's what we need to do to face the next day. You've had a lot put on your shoulders in the last few months."

Elena nodded against her friend's chest. She knew deep down that she was right. Still, she fought against it.

"You and Isabel lost your parents and then you almost lost her. You kept it together this whole time. I know you did it for her. But she's in the next room. It's just you and me here. You know I won't judge you for breaking down. I never have," Naomi reminded her.

"I almost lost it in Cordoba," Elena admitted. "After Senior Yakalli initially refused to help me, I started to break down in front of Gabe."

"That's completely understandable. If something like this happened to you, my emotions would be all over the place too. You can lose it with me any time. I'm here for you."

"When Isa told me to leave her alone, my heart shattered. I felt like I had failed her, our parents…I promised them I'd take care of her…" Elena's voice trailed off as a new set of tears fell.

"You didn't fail her. She's a kid. She's confused and afraid too. She's used to having you around and now you're getting ready to rule an entire kingdom. Sometimes she feels pushed aside. But I can say for sure she loves you. I know it didn't feel like it earlier, but she does. And in a strange way, she was looking out for you."

"Como?" Elena was truly confused now.

"Isabel told me yesterday that you hadn't gotten a lot of sleep since she got sick," Naomi explained. "She feels responsible for that. She wants you to take care of yourself."

Elena nodded as realization hit her.

"She knows me so well. She knew I wouldn't agree to get rest on my own if she had suggested it outright. In fact when she tried, I refused."

"Exactly," Naomi softly agreed. "So she figured the only way to get you to listen was to pretend like she needed space. The only problem is she did her job a little too well."

"You can say that again," Elena sighed while blinking against more tears.

"You two will work things out. You always do. All you need is some sister time," Naomi grinned.

"This is exactly why I chose you to be on my council," Elena commented. "Gracias for listening."

"Denada. But you don't have to thank me. We're best friends. I love you. I have your back. You're the closest thing I have to a sister," Naomi admitted.

"I love you too," Elena assured her. "Sweet dreams."

"You too. Are you feeling better?" Naomi asked.

"Un poqito. A little, " Elena closed her eyes. "I'll feel much better after Isa and I straighten things out."

"It'll happen in time," Naomi told her. She yawned. "I love you."

"I love you too," with that, both friends fell asleep for the rest of the night.

******

Elena's eyes opened to sun streaming into her bedroom window. Rubbing sleep out of them, the night's events came back to her. Blinking against sudden tears, she focused on the day ahead. Stretching, she almost got up, but decided to rest some more. Naomi was right, she did need rest. Closing her eyes, she was back to sleep in minutes.


	12. Chapter 12

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from Elena of Avalor! They belong to their respective creators. I only own the idea for this story.  
Enjoy!

A/N: Well some duendes took over and decided the story needed four more chapters after this one. LOL! So here we are.

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 12

Naomi's eyes opened a short while later. Blinking sleep out of them, she stretched. Glancing to her left, she smiled when she saw Elena fast asleep. Her best friend needed it. Getting up, Naomi made sure Elena was warm, then got ready for the day. Leaving the room, she turned back. Glancing at Ember, she whispered, "Watch her for me." Leaving Elena's room, Naomi decided to check on Isabel. Walking across the hall, she gently opened the little girl's door. She was surprised to find the nine-year-old awake. She looked like she hadn't slept much after Elena had left. Her eyes were red as though she had been crying.

"Isabel? Is it okay if I come in?" Naomi asked.

The little girl looked towards the door and nodded.

Entering, Naomi sat down on the edge of the bed. Resting a hand on the girl's left shoulder, she spoke.

"We need to talk, kiddo. You really hurt Elena's feelings."

"I didn't mean to," Isabel softly confessed. "I just wanted her to get some sleep. She's been helping me out a lot," she explained.

"I know," Naomi assured her. "But you two need to talk. She thinks you're mad at her."

"A little," Isabel admitted. She winced. "My stomach and shoulder still hurt!"

"Mateo said they both would hurt until tomorrow," Naomi reminded her. "Do you want me to ask Elena to come in after she wakes up?"

Isabel shook her head.

"Come get me when she wakes up. I should go to her."

"Are you sure you should be walking around just yet?" Naomi hesitated.

"It's not that far to walk. Besides, I hurt her. I need to fix it," Isabel resolved.

"Okay," Naomi sighed. "Will you be okay while I go get breakfast?"

"Yeah," Isabel tried to get comfortable as she spoke.

"Are you sure?" Naomi frowned in concern.

"I'm sure," Isabel insisted.

"Okay," with that, Naomi hugged the little girl, stood and left the room. Checking on elena before heading downstairs, she found her best friend still sound asleep. Smiling to herself, she headed for the dining room. Naomi just hoped Elena allowed herself to get the rest she needed.

*****

Elena awoke somewhere around eleven-thirty. Stretching, she sighed. Naomi was right. She did need the rest. Although she felt physically refreshed, the crowned princess still felt emotionally off. She knew what would help her. Deciding to check on Isabel after she was ready for the day, the teen made her bed and got dressed. After securing her hair in a ponytail using a tie made of apricot mallow, Elena left her bedroom. She was just about to push open her little sister's bedroom door when it opened from the inside. Isabel ran out of her room, heading straight for the bathroom across the hall. Elena went after her, wanting to make up for earlier that morning. She was just in time to quickly pull Isabel's hair back as her sister threw up.

"Isa…esta bien, esta bien…" she soothed. She forced herself to stay calm, remembering what Mateo had said about the tail end of the mild poisoning incident.

Isabel didn't have time to say anything before throwing up again. She was breathing hard, tears streaming down her face. Feeling Elena rest a hand on her shoulder, she jerked away.

"Leave me alone!" she demanded just as her stomach twisted.

Elena sighed inwardly. It looked like Isabel was still upset with her. She had a feeling she knew why.

"Isa, what's wrong?" Elena tried again with the same results.

"You left me…ow!" she cried as pain shot through her stomach. She heaved, but this time nothing came up.

Elena's heart clenched. She had been afraid of this.

"Isa, I've been helping you since this whole thing started. I had to leave you to get the feather for the potion. If I hadn't done that, you would have…" she couldn't finish the sentence. "And as for before, I didn't ask abuela to take over."

"You didn't stop her either!" Isabel shot back. "Just get ready for your stupid council meeting."

Elena had to laugh softly at her sister's choice of words.

"That's how I feel about it too," she confided. "If it was a choice between the meeting and taking care of you, I'd pick you."

"Yeah right, " Isabel glared at her sister before turning back to the toilet.

"Isa, I mean it. You're more important than a meeting," Elena sincerely insisted. "Pore favor, let me prove it to you."

Isabel's response was to lean over the toilet again. Like last time, nothing actually came up. Despite this, she continued to dry heave for a few minutes.

Elena's heart was breaking for Isa. She knew exactly how her sister felt. This had happened to her back when she had gotten food poisoning.

"Isa, I know…esta bien. Just take a deep breath," Elena gently instructed.

"I don't feel good!" the nine-year-old cried. She was shaking, tears streaming down her face. Turning around, she buried her face in Elena's chest, letting out a sob of pain.

"Shh, Isa, esta bien. I'm here now. You'll feel better soon," Elena soothed. She ran a hand through her sister's hair as she spoke. "We're just gonna sit here for a while," with that, she pulled the nine-year-old close, keeping in mind what Mateo had advised about holding still.

"Elena, I'm sorry for yelling at you!" Isabel sobbed. "I was mad at you for leaving! I wanted you to get sleep too!"

"I know you didn't mean it, but you really hurt me," her older sister informed her.

"I'm sorry," Isabel softly apologized.

"I forgive you. I love you," Elena kissed her sister's head.

"I love you too," Isabel buried her face in her sister's chest.

They stayed that way for the next ten minutes.

"Can I lift you yet?"

Isabel nodded.

"I'm gonna cancel the council meeting," Elena decided.

"Elena, no! Ya…you can't…" Isabel's sentence was interrupted by her stomach churning again.

"Si se pruede," Elena countered, "yes I can. You need me right now."

"You would do that for me?" Isabel caught her breath as she spoke.

"I would do anything for you," Elena told her. Once she got the okay, she lifted her sister into her arms. Feeling the nine-year-old snuggle in, Elena's heart melted. Tucking Isabel back in bed, she stood. "I'll be back. I need to tell abuela and the others the meeting needs to be postponed. Here, in case you need it while I'm gone," she set a bucket down next to where her sister was lying.

"Gracias," Isabel replied.

Elena returned a few minutes later. Climbing into bed next to her sister, she pulled her close.

"Just try to rest. I have you."

"Okay," Isabel mumbled, her eyes already closing. "I love you, Elena."

"I love you too," Elena planted a kiss on her sister's cheek. Getting comfortable, she smiled to herself. She was glad she and Isabel had straightened things out. She just hoped this meant things were slowly going back to normal, whatever that was.

****

Elena's eyes opened hours later. Blinking sleep out of them, she sat up. Glancing over, she sighed with relief when she discovered her little sister was still asleep. Bending down, she kissed her forehead. Thanking their mother when Isabel felt cool, Elena stood. Exiting her sister's room, she entered her own. Ember immediately flew over, landing on her shoulder. Elena grinned, stroking the bujito's back.

"Buenas tardes, sweetie. Were you waiting for me?"

Ember responded by gently nibbling Elena's right ear.

Elena giggled. Walking downstairs, she found Naomi sitting at the dining room table, eating a plate of panadias.

"Did you sleep well?" her best friend greeted when she saw her.

"Muy, gracias," Elena replied. "Isa's still sleeping. She needs it. I'm gonna check on her in a little while. What time is it?"

"Almost six. Your grandparents said they would wait to have dinner until six-thirty. They wanted to give you guys time to rest," the blonde explained.

Elena nodded. Snatching a panadia off the plate, she started to chew. Feeling a beak clamp down on a piece, Elena broke off the end. "Aqui, Ember," she gently fed the bujito the treat.

Ember took it, swallowing it a minute later. Hooting softly, she let Elena eat the rest of her snack in peace.

"So you're gonna talk to her in Spanish?" Naomi asked, finishing off her third treat.

"Mostly," Elena replied.

Just then, they were joined by Luisa and Francisco.

"Elena, como esta mija?" Luisa embraced her eldest granddaughter after reaching her side.

"Bien, abuela," Elena hugged back.

"How's Isabel?" her grandmother frowned in concern.

"She's getting better. She's still sleeping. I'm gonna check on her in a few minutes. Can Naomi stay for dinner?" Elena inquired.

"Of course. She's always welcome," Luisa smiled warmly at the other girl. She addressed Naomi, "Be sure to let your father know where you are."

"Yes ma'am," Naomi saluted the elderly woman, making her laugh. "My Dad knows I'm here. I told him I would be home after dinner."

Luisa nodded in satisfaction. She left the two friends alone a minute later.

"I'm glad you and Isabel straightened things out," Naomi revealed.

"Me too," Elena sighed with relief. She gently rubbed Ember's head as she spoke.

The two friends talked about this and that for the next ten minutes.

Standing, Elena pushed in her chair.

"I'll be right back. I'm gonna go check on Isa."

"Okay," Naomi stood as well. She wanted to look something up in the library.


	13. Chapter 13

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from "Elena of Avalor." They belong to their respective creators. I do however own the storyline for this fic.  
Enjoy!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 13

Elena, meanwhile, had reached the second floor. Turning right, she gently knocked on her sister's bedroom door. Getting no response, she pushed it open. Going over to the bed, she sat down on the edge. Reaching out, she rested a hand on her little sister's uninjured shoulder. It didn't take long for Isabel to wake up. Opening her eyes, she let out a whimper.

"Elena," she mumbled.

"How do you feel, Isa?" Elena asked.

"My shoulder still hurts," she revealed.

"Mateo said it would hurt for a few days. He had to cut into it."

"Don't remind me," the nine-year-old sighed.

"How's your stomach?" Elena inquired.

"It's not hurting as badly," Isabel answered.

"I'm glad," Elena kissed her sister's forehead.

Isabel's eyes lit up when she saw the bujito sitting on her sister's left shoulder.

"May I pet her now, pore favor?"

"Sure. You need to sit up though," Elena instructed.

Isabel did so, allowing Elena to help her. She hissed in pain at the movement.

"That's my girl, easy does it…" Elena advised.

Once Isabel was sitting up, she moved closer to her sister.

Reaching out, Elena pulled the nine-year-old into her arms. Kissing the top of her head, she smiled. She was glad Isabel wanted to be close to her again.

"Ready?" the sixteen-year-old asked.

Isabel nodded. Reaching her hand up, she let Elena guide it to rest on Ember's right wing.

"Hola, Ember. Tu eres bonita," Isabel softly told her.

Ember hooted, enjoying the attention.

"She likes me!" Isabel announced.

"Of course she does. She knows you're a good person," Elena smiled at the interaction. "Do you wanna come down to dinner? You don't have to eat if you're not up for it. I just thought you might want to be with us since you've been cooped up in your room and mine since this whole thing started."

Isabel thought for a few minutes.

"Okay," she decided.

"Are you sure?" Elena frowned in concern.

"Yeah," Isabel replied.

The two sisters spent the remaining time until dinner talking and showering Ember with love.

"I'm gonna invent a toy for her!" Isabel declared.

"Aw, gracias, Isa. That's sweet of you," Elena commented.

Isabel nodded. She was about to say something else when there was a knock at her door.

"Come in!" she called.

"Hey you two, " Naomi entered a minute later. "Luisa asked me to let you know dinner's in fifteen minutes."

"Gracias mi amiga," Elena smiled at her. Standing, she extended a hand towards Isabel. Her sister accepted it, standing slowly.

Naomi raised her eyebrows.

"Are you sure Isabel should be walking around?" she frowned in concern.

"She needs to start moving around again. Besides, she wants to come to dinner with everyone," Elena informed her. "Isa will be fine."

"I'll tell you if anything's wrong," Isabel locked eyes with Elena.

"Buena ninia," her sister praised. With that, the three headed down to the dining hall. Arriving, they all took their usual seats. It wasn't long before Ruberto served everyone.

"Mija, whose your new friend?"

Elena glanced up at the sound of her grandmother's voice. She grinned.

"Everyone, I would like you to meet Ember. I found her in the forest in Cordoba. She bonded with me."

"She's adorable," Francisco commented.

"It'll be nice for you to have a companion you can take with you on trips," Luisa observed.

Elena nodded.

"Is she trained?" Francisco inquired.

"Pretty much. She's a good listener," Elena replied.

Francisco nodded in satisfaction before going back to his meal.

"She understands Spanish pretty well!" Naomi chimed in.

"Muy bien!" Luisa winked at Elena in approval.

A sudden huff made everyone turn their heads to the left.

Elena raised her eyebrows at her older cousin.

Esteban glared at the tiny creature.

"You should have asked permission before bringing that…that filthy thing into the palace."

Elena bristled.

"Ember's cleaner than most people," she defended her friend. "She was a gift. Besides, she chose me."

Ember glared at the person who had just insulted her. Snapping her beak, she sent him a clear message. Keep your distance!

"Ember…" Elena forewarned.

Ember settled down at the warning tone in Elena's voice.

"Is she good with other people?" Francisco asked.

"Si, abuelo. She loves Isa," Elena revealed. Then narrowing her eyes at Esteban, she added, "She's good with most people. She likes Naomi too."

Francisco nodded.

Dinner continued without any more outbursts from Esteban. Although he glared at Elena throughout the meal, receiving glares from Ember in return. It wasn't until dessert that disaster struck. Ruberto had just set the arose con duce down when Isabel tapped Elena on her right shoulder.

"Yeah, Isa? Que pasa?" Elena turned to face her sister.

"I don't feel good," the nine-year-old revealed. She sounded slightly panicked.

"Okay, bent aqui," with that, Elena lifted her sister into her arms. Turning to face the rest of their familia, she announced, "I'll be back." As they left, Elena heard Esteban start complaining about Ember. She ignored him. Entering a bathroom near the family room, Elena closed the door behind them. Setting Isabel down in front of the toilet, she gently held her sister's hair back.

Leaning over, Isabel heaved without warning. She repeated the action two more times, but nothing came up.

"Isa, bent aqui," Elena gently pulled her sister into her arms. Running a hand through her hair, the teen stayed perfectly still otherwise.

"Elena, I feel like I'm gonna throw up!" Isabel cried.

"Isa, I know. Esta bien. Mateo said this would happen until your body realizes all the chemical is out. We're just gonna sit here for a few minutes," she assured her. "Believe me when I say I know what you're going through."

"You do?" Isabel softly asked while trying to get her breathing under control.

"Yes. This happened to me twice. Once when I got food poisoning from those burritos and again after I had my wisdom teeth removed."

Isabel nodded. Suddenly heaving, she clapped a hand over her mouth.

Elena nodded as she pulled the trashcan over just in case there was a tiny bit of chemical left. Helping her sister get situated, she soothed her. But again, nothing actually came. Pushing the trashcan aside, Elena gently embraced her sister once again. The nine-year-old was in tears as she buried her face in her sister's breast.

"Shh, Isa…I know, baby, I know…" Elena soothed. She sat there, comforting her sister for the next fifteen minutes. After a while, she spoke. "Are you feeling better?"

"A little," Isabel replied.

"Okay. I'm gonna tuck you back in bed. I'll stay with you, but only if you want me to," her sister offered. With that, she stood carefully, not wanting to upset Isabel's stomach.

"Pore favor," Isabel said.

"You got it," Elena kissed her head. Tucking the nine-year-old in, she sat beside her. As she went to lie down, Ember took up a position on Isabel's headboard. Pulling Isabel into her arms, Elena started humming their mother's lullaby. "Isa?"

"Uh-huh," her sister mumbled.

"In a half an hour, you need to try drinking something. I'm gonna get you more of Mom's juice," Elena told her.

"Okay," Isabel whispered. "Yo estoy consada."

"I'm not surprised," Elena shook her head, "you've been through a lot in the last few days. Try to get some sleep. I'm not going anywhere," she kissed Isabel's cheek. Getting comfortable, she let her own eyes close. She just prayed that after today, her sister would recover fully.

*****

Elena's eyes opened as she felt someone tucking a blanket around her.

"Hmmm…Que? Wha-what's…" she awoke at the movement.

"Esta bien, mija, go back to sleep," her grandmother soothed. "I was just checking on you two."

"Isa…is she…" Elena reached over to find the little girl still beside her.

"Your hermana's right there, " her grandmother assured her. "Buenas nochas," with that, Luisa bent down and kissed Elena's forehead, followed by Isabel's cheek.

Elena settled back down after that. She was almost asleep when Isabel started to stir.

"Elena!" she cried out, hitting her sister in the head. "Elena, help!"

"Isa, esta bien. Esta bien, you're safe," Elena pulled her little sister into her arms, realizing what was happening. She hugged her close, even as Isabel fought her. "I've got you, you're safe…" she softly assured her.

"No! Pore favor! Elena, help me!" Isabel cried desperately. In her struggle to get free, she managed to hit the teen in the right jaw. "Isabel! Esta bien. I'm the one holding you!" Elena tried again. Thinking fast, she began to sing their mother's lullaby. She just prayed this worked. "Evening is a fallin' so rest your weary head…" fortunately, halfway through the song, Elena felt the nine-year-old relax. Sighing with relief, she finished the song. She was in the middle of singing it for a second time when Isabel started to awaken.

"Elena?" the little girl mumbled as her eyes opened.

"Isa, esta bien. I have you," her sister soothed.

Isabel's eyes opened a minute later. Locking them with her sister's identical ones, she sighed with relief.

"Do you know where you are?" Elena asked. She wanted to make sure her sister was truly all here.

Isabel nodded. She glanced around before regaining eye contact with Elena.

"In my room, in your arms," she replied as she tried to get comfortable.

"Buena ninia," Elena sighed with relief.

Doing a doubletake, Isabel gasped when she saw the bruise slowly forming on her sister's jaw.

"Elena! Oh my gosh! I'm sorry!" she tried to get out of her arms, but her older sister held fast.

"Isa, esta bien," Elena dismissed.

Isabel shook her head.

"No, it's not!" the nine-year-old insisted. She glanced down in shame.

"Isa, pore favor, look at me," her sister gently, but firmly commanded.

"I…I can't," Isabel whispered.

"Why not?" Elena was truly concerned.

"Because I hurt you! You helped me all this time and I…" her voice trailed off as tears welled.

"Isa, you didn't mean to do it. I know that. You weren't awake. You didn't know what you were doing or even where you were, " her sister tried to reason.

"It doesn't matter," Isabel mumbled.

"What's going on? I could hear you two across the hall," a new voice joined the sister's argument.

Elena glanced up to find Naomi standing there.

"I thought you went back home?" Elena raised her eyebrows.

Naomi did the same.

"Sorry. That came out wrong," Elena blushed.

"It's okay," Naomi shrugged, "I decided to stay one more night."

Elena nodded.

"So what's all the-wow! Who decked you?" the blonde asked, catching sight of her friend's face.

"It was my fault," Isabel tearfully confessed.

Naomi was truly shocked. Even as she tried to hide it, she had a feeling Isabel's actions had been an accident.

"Isa didn't mean it. She was having a nightmare. It was beyond her control. It was more my fault. I should have waited until she was awake before holding her," Elena realized.

Isabel shook her head.

"Elena, this isn't your fault. I'm the one who hit out. I know better," her voice lowered in shame.

"Isabel, that's just it. You know better when you're aware of your surroundings. You weren't aware in this situation," Elena tried. She prayed Isabel would listen to her this time.

"Elena's right," Naomi chimed in. "One time, I was sleeping over for the weekend. Elena had a nightmare in the middle of the night. She ended up hitting me in the right eye. I knew she hadn't meant it though."

"This is different," Isabel softly revealed.

"How?" Elena gently inquired.

Isabel choked on a sob as she gathered her thoughts together.

Elena turned her attention to Naomi.

"You can go back to bed. I can handle Isa."

"Are you sure?" Naomi frowned.

"I'm sure," Elena replied.

"Okay. Come get me if you need my help," with that, Naomi left the two sisters alone.

"Isa?" Elena tried. To her surprise and shock, Isabel broke free of her grip. Springing from the bed, she ran from the room.

"Isabel! Isa, esparar! Wait! Come back!" Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Elena stood. Taking off after her little sister, she prayed she would be able to find her. Getting an idea, she went with it. She just prayed she was right…


	14. Chapter 14

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from "Elena of Avalor." They belong to their respective creators. I do however own the storyline for this fic.

Enjoy!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 14

Rounding the corner to a hallway neither sister had walked down for almost a year, Elena took a deep breath. This would be hard, but she had to do it for Isa. Steeling herself, she continued her trek. Seeing the door up ahead, the sixteen-year-old blinked hard. Carefully, almost apprehensively, Elena reached her hand out towards the handle. Turning it, she slowly pushed it open. Entering, her senses were immediately overwhelmed by a familiar and comforting aroma. Breathing deeply, a few tears fell despite her effort to hold them back. Wiping furiously at her eyes, Elena tried in vain to fight her emotions. This wasn't about her. This was about her little sister. Something was wrong with Isa and it was her job to help her through it or fix it if she could. Taking a few more steps inside, Elena's feet hit a familiar carpet. Glancing down, the pattern of red, blue and green greeted her. The carpet almost covered the entire floor except for the right side of the room. Glancing around, Elena's mind was pulled back in time. She saw herself as a little girl, sitting down upon the very carpet she now stood on, while her mother did her hair. The two often used that time to talk and just enjoy each other's company. Unlike most girls, Elena didn't mind her hair being styled-especially when her mother had done it. She was always gentle with her movements. It was during the few times she had to work a knot out of Elena's long brown tresses that her patience really came in handy. As a child, Elena thought her mother had limitless amounts of it. She hardly ever scolded her, instead choosing to explain things in a way Elena could understand for her age. When she did have to lecture Elena, she always made sure she never made her feel bad or tore her down. In fact as more memories filled her mind, Elena couldn't remember a time when her mother had ever made her feel bad about herself. As Elena grew older and Isa was born, she watched her mother shower her little sister with the same love she had for her. Elena remembered her mother involving her in most of Isabel's care, so she hardly felt left out. Opening her eyes, Elena stared at a picture of their parents that sat on the dresser. It had been taken a few weeks before Shuriki had attacked. The familia had gone on a picnic together. Her mother had her arm around Elena while Isabel sat on their father's shoulders, giggling up a storm.

As though pulled by a force beyond herself, the teen walked over. Reaching her hand out, Elena traced the pictures occupants. Her hand lingered on her mother's smile. It was one of the many things Elena loved about her and missed the most. Her mother's sonrisa could light up a room, no matter what had happened that day. Her laugh was also infectious. Whenever Elena had a bad day, it only took her mother telling her a funny story for her own sonrisa to emerge. Tiny at first, then it grew bigger.

"Just like a star lighting up the dark," her mother had told her. "That's what your name means, mija. Elena means shining light. That's what you bring to me and your father and hermana every day. I have no doubt you'll do the same when it's your turn to rule. I love you, Elena."

Shaking herself from the memory, Elena couldn't tear her eyes away from the picture. Letting her hand linger, she was soon blinded by tears. They streamed steady and fast down her tan cheeks as though a dam had burst open.

"I'm sorry, Mama," she tearfully apologized, "it's my fault you and Papa aren't here to see Isa grow up or help me rule. If I could go back in time and change it, I would do it in a heartbeat…"

"They know that, nieta. But there's nothing for you to change."

Elena whirled around, knocking over a bottle of her mother's perfume in the process. As the aroma filled her nose again, the sixteen-year-old choked on a sob. Glancing up, she came face-to-face with Luisa.

"Abuela…I…I know we haven't come in here since…I just thought Isa had…I'm sorry…" she looked down in shame.

Luisa moved to embrace her distraught nieta. To her surprise, Elena backed up. Respecting her space, she spoke instead.

"Mija, you have nothing to be sorry for. You and your sister have a right to come in here any time you need to. I come in here when I need to think."

Elena gasped through her tears.

"Ya-you do?"

Luisa nodded.

"It's peaceful for me," she revealed.

Elena glanced up, locking her flowing eyes with her grandmother's concerned ones.

"I miss them so much!" the teen tearfully confessed, longing in her words.

"I know," Louisa reached out, praying Elena would accept her comfort this time. Still, Elena didn't move. Once again, Luisa backed off.

"I don't deserve your comfort," Elena softly said.

Luisa gasped.

"Of course you do! Why would you think you-"

"Because it's my fault Mama and Papa were killed!" Elena exclaimed. Turning around, she made to run, but her slipper caught on a loose thread. Landing on the ground hard, she sat up. Burying her face in her hands, she continued to cry.

Luisa was in front of her eldest granddaughter in seconds.

"Elena, what happened was not your fault. You have to believe me because it's true. Your parents wouldn't blame you."

"I blame myself!" Elena sobbed. "I should never have gone after Shuriki. It was a stupid decision! Our parents paid for my stupidity with their lives! All I kept thinking the night I became crowned princess was…they should be here to see it. Then after Isa was taken by the noblins, I felt guiltier. Like I had let them down all over again. Sometimes, I wonder if I even deserve to be queen…I'm so scared I'll make another decision that will cost someone else their life just like…" Elena's voice trailed off as a heart wrenching sob escaped her throat.

"Mija…everyone gets scared sometimes. It's normal for you to feel that way. But your parents wouldn't want you to feel guilty. This isn't your burden to bare. Yes, you went after Shuriki, but you did it to protect us. You did it knowing what could happen. You risked your life to save us. That's not stupid. It's noble. You need to let yourself feel the pain of the loss so you can heal. Once you do, you'll be able to help Isabel do the same."

"Isa…" elena softly realized. She had forgotten all about her little sister in the midst of her grief. Before she could berate herself too hard, a new set of tears were coursing down her cheeks. Before Elena knew what was happening, she was in her abuela's arms, her face buried in her chest. "It hurts so much!" she sobbed, her words choked by tears.

"I know, mija…I miss them too," her grandmother empathized.

Elena didn't know how long she sat there, safely enveloped in her grandmother's unconditional love. All she knew was slowly, the knot in her chest started to loosen and her tears started to subside. As she sat there, concentrating on getting her breathing under control, Elena realized something inside of her felt lighter. It was like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

"Gracias abuela," Elena softly said. She sat up, but didn't move out of the embrace just yet.

"You don't ever have to thank me for loving you, nieta," Luisa kissed the teen's cheek. "The same goes for Isabel."

Elena nodded.

"Do you feel better now?" Luisa inquired.

"A little, " Elena admitted.

"I'm glad. Any time you need to talk or just need a hug, I'm here," Luisa reminded her.

Elena nodded. After a few more minutes, she wiped the remaining tears away, hugged her grandmother, then stood.

"I need to go check on Isa. I think I know where she went. We had a little argument," she explained.

Luisa nodded. Catching sight of her eldest granddaughter's face, she raised her eyebrows. Frowning in concern, she asked, "Mija, what happened?"

Elena sighed.

"It was an accident. I'll explain manyana. Right now, I have to talk to Isa," with that, she crossed the room and headed through a door painted with Avaloran flowers. Gaining the outside, Elena was momentarily overcome by the beauty of the garden before her. She hadn't been out here since she was fifteen. The last time, her mother had been with her. Shaking off more memories, the teen concentrated on finding her sister. Now that abuela had helped her, it was time to pay it forward and help Isabel. Taking a left, Elena saw that the path of trees and flowers opened up ahead. Spotting a small figure sitting near a fountain, she made a bee line for her. Sitting down beside the nine-year-old, Elena spoke. "Mind if I join you?"

Isabel shook her head. Glancing up, she locked eyes with her older sister. Seeing the damage she had done, she averted her gaze.

Elena sighed. She could tell this was going to take a while. She didn't mind though. She would stay out here for the rest of the night if it meant helping Isabel see the truth.

"This place is beautiful. I used to come out here with Mama. We brought you out here a few weeks after you were born. You liked it too. You cried so loudly when Mama brought you back inside. You learned how to walk out here. In fact, this spot was where you took your first steps. You were determined to get to me…" Elena smiled a little at the memory.

Isabel nodded, still not looking at her sister.

"They loved you, Isa. They loved both of us the same," Elena assured the nine-year-old.

"I know," Isabel whispered.

"Esta bien to miss them. I miss Mama and Papa every day," she softly admitted. Glancing down, she noticed Isabel was holding something in her hands. It looked like a jewelry box. It was red with gold stars carved into it. "What's that?" as the question left her mouth, a memory sprang to Elena's mind, but it was gone before she could grab onto it.

When Isabel spoke next, she didn't answer her sister's question. Instead, her words were so soft, Elena barely caught them.

"Que?" Elena gently asked.

"I didn't give this to her," Isabel repeated, her voice breaking. She gulped as tears welled, spilling down her face like a rainstorm. "I was gonna give it to Mama for mother's day, but then she…" the rest of her sentence was lost in heart wrenching sobs.

"Isa…bent aqui…" Elena pulled her little sister into her arms. Planting a kiss on her sister's head, she ran a hand through her hair. She encouraged her to cry in Spanish, gently assuring her she wasn't alone.

"I worked on it for a long time! I wanted it to be special!" Isabel cried. She clung to her sister, burying her face in her chest much like Elena had done with their grandmother. "I miss Mama!"

"So do I, Isa," Elena softly empathized. Rather than fight them back, she let the remaining tears fall, holding on tightly to the only connection to their parents she had left, "so do I." Her last remaining tears mixed with her sister's fresh ones as she helped Isa process the pain she was feeling. Elena had a feeling Isabel's emotional release also had to do with everything she had been through in the last few days.

"Elena?" Isabel softly said, her voice still tearful.

"Yeah?" Elena answered. She had started to calm down.

"Da-do you think Mama and Papa would be proud of me?"

"I know they are," her older sister assured her. "Just like I am."

"I love you," Isabel hugged the teen around the neck.

"I love you too," Elena hugged back. Glancing upward, she gently kissed her cheek. "And so do they."

Isabel nodded. She gasped as a familiar aroma met her nose. Why hadn't she recognized it before? Elena had been holding her for the past twenty minutes.

"Mama's perfume," she breathed.

Elena nodded.

"I…I spent some time in their room before I found you," she admitted.

Isabel let the comforting scent fill her nose.

"Would you be upset if I wore some at this year's Dia de los Muertos celebration?" Elena held her breath.

Isabel shook her head.

"Of course not! It makes me feel like Mama's here with us when I smell it," the little girl explained.

"Isa, Mama's still with both of us, so is Papa. Just in a different way," Elena gently reminded her. It was then that she got an idea. Glancing down at the present Isabel still clutched in her hands, the older princess grinned. "And I know the perfect place for this," standing, she gently set her sister down. Taking her hand, she led her to a spot surrounded by flowers and a small waterfall.

"Mama's special place," Isabel's eyes widened.

"Exactly. May I?"

Isabel handed over the precious item without hesitation. She trusted her sister with her life.

Carefully taking it, Elena set it down on a stone carving of a jaquin. She made sure to put it in the center so it didn't fall. Turning to her sister, she asked, "Well, what do you think?"

"It's per fecta," Isabel smiled through her remaining tears.

"I agree," her older sister winked at her.

"Gracias para todo, Elena," Isabel threw her arms around her older sister's waist.

"Denada, Isa. It was my pleasure. Come on, we better get back to bed. It's pretty late," with that, hand in hand, the two sisters went back inside the palace. Reaching Isabel's room, Elena tucked her back in. Lying down beside her, she waited for the nine-year-old to initiate contact. Grinning when her little sister laid her head on her chest, Elena ran a hand through her hair. "Can I ask you something?"

"Uh-huh," Isabel yawned as she spoke.

"Why did you run in the first place?" Elena was truly interested in her sister's answer.

Isabel sighed as she got comfortable.

"I...I was embarrassed. I didn't feel like I deserved your understanding," Isabel explained.

"Isa!" Elena was truly shocked. Recovering, she lowered her voice to a reasonable volume for how late it was. "You always deserve that. I love you. It was an accident, baby. I know you didn't mean it."

"I felt bad for hurting you," Isabel continued.

"I know. But I forgive you," her sister kissed her head.

"Gracias," Isabel mumbled. Her eyes were already closing.

"Buena Sueñas, Isa. I love you," kissing her sister's forehead, Elena continued to hold her close. Glancing up, she lifted her eyes to Isabel's open window. "I love you both. I miss you. Hopefully, we're both making you proud," with that, Elena closed her own eyes. Right before drifting off, the sixteen-year-old felt a warm breeze caress her face. Smiling to herself, she soon joined Isabel in dreamland.


	15. Chapter 15

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from "Elena of Avalor." They belong to their respective creators. I do however own the storyline for this fic.  
Enjoy!

A/N: This is where things start to get interesting.

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 15

**Elena's nightmare**

Elena was back in the garden where they had left Isabel's present for their mother. A bunch of flowers surrounded her, a beautiful sight to behold. As she went to pick one of them, she suddenly heard a growling sound behind her. Whirling around, the crowned princess came face-to-face with a pack of wild dogs. She backed up, not sure how they had gotten over the palace walls. Putting up her hands, she tried to show them she meant no harm.

"Easy, esta bien," she assured them.

Rather than being calmed, one of the dogs lunged at her!

Jumping backwards, Elena pulled herself up a nearby tree. It was then that she noticed another creature join the fight. It was a grey wolf with sapphire eyes. In a matter of minutes, the dogs had run off. Not sure if it was safe to climb down since the wolf was still there, Elena watched her rescuer for a while. When the wolf didn't appear to be aggressive, the crown princess made her way down to the ground.

"Gracias," she held out her hand for the wolf to sniff. Taking a step back to give the creature some space, Elena hit her arm on the side of a bush. Hissing as a branch scratched her right arm, she stepped forward, away from the object. She hadn't taken more than a step or two when she suddenly felt dizzy. Suddenly weakened, the crowned princess started losing consciousness. As she passed out, she suddenly heard someone calling her name. Feeling the wolf nuzzle her face before licking her right cheek, Elena heard the voice again.

"Elena? Elena, wake up! You're dreaming. It's time to get up."

Elena tried to call out to the person the voice belonged to, but she felt too weak. Before she could do anything more than whimper in pain, everything went black…

*Present***

"Elena!"

There was that voice again. It sounded closer this time.

Opening her eyes, Elena sat up. Blinking in confusion when she felt Isabel's carpet beneath her, she did a double take. Glancing around, her surroundings became sharper. Sun was streaming into Isabel's room. It was the next morning. The sun's rays fell across her sister's desk, bathing everything in a golden glow. Elena squeezed her eyes shut as pain shot through her head.

"Ha-how did I get down here?" was the first thing out of her mouth. Standing, she had to grab a hold of Isabel's chair to keep herself from falling.

"You fell out of bed," her younger sister answered. "You were moving around a lot and whimpering. I tried to wake you up."

"Gracias, Isa," Elena sat down next to her. Wrapping her little sister in a hug, she kissed her head. "How do you feel?"

"A lot better, actually," Isabel grinned from ear to ear. "My shoulder's still a little sore, but my stomach doesn't hurt anymore. In fact, I'm hungry!"

"I'm so glad," Elena managed a small smile for her sister. She was truly relieved the nine-year-old was feeling better. She definitely looked a lot better. She ran a hand through Isa's hair while continuing to hug her.

"Elena?" Isabel frowned up at her older sister.

"Yeah?" Elena forced herself to focus. It was hard with how tired she felt.

"Are you okay? You don't look so good," Isabel reached out with the back of her hand. Pressing it against her older sister's forehead, her frown deepened. "You feel warm. Oh no! You got what I had! I knew this would happen! I'm sorry!"

"Isa, relax. I couldn't have caught what you had. It's not contagious. I'll be fine. I had trouble sleeping, that's all. I have a little headache. I'll be okay after I eat. Come on, let's get ready and go down to breakfast. You still need to take it easy at least until tomorrow."

"Okay," Isabel sighed. "If you're sure you're okay…"

"I'm sure," Elena kissed her sister's head. Standing, she stood still as dizziness came over her again. Forcing herself to move, she left her sister to get dressed. Entering her own room, she found Ember being loved on by Naomi. The minute the bujito saw her friend, she flew over to her. Settling on Elena's shoulder, Ember hooted softly before nipping her right ear.

Naomi grinned.

"I think someone missed you. How's Isabel?"

"She's doing a lot better," Elena revealed. She patted Ember's head as she spoke. Standing, she gathered an outfit for the day and headed into the bathroom. Setting the clothes on the sink, she started the shower. Ember fluttered over to the counter and settled down to wait. Getting undressed, Elena slipped inside. Feeling a little better as the warm water hit her, she sighed with relief. Maybe this was what she needed. A relaxing shower before breakfast. Fifteen minutes later, Elena was out of the shower and ready for the day. Entering her bedroom once again, she started brushing her hair. Securing it in her usual ponytail, she left to see if Isabel was ready yet. Entering her sister's bedroom, she had to grab a hold of the door to keep herself from fainting. Shaking the feeling off, Elena knocked just in case her sister wasn't fully dressed yet. "Isa? Are you ready to go downstairs for breakfast?"

"Uh-huh," Isabel was at her side in seconds. She still looked worried as she locked eyes with her older sister.

"Yo estoy bien," Elena patted her sister's shoulder. Giving her a one armed hug, she lead the way downstairs.

Isabel nodded, even though she had her doubts.

Entering the dining room, the sisters and Naomi took their usual places at the table.

"Elena, are you okay?" Naomi frowned when she saw her best friend's slightly lighter complexion.

"I'm fine, " Elena sighed. She wished people would stop asking her that! At Naomi's raised eyebrows, she added, "I'm just tired. I didn't sleep well last night."

Naomi nodded.

Just then, Francisco and Luisa joined them, along with Esteban. He glared when he saw Ember on Elena's shoulder.

"Does that thing have to join us for every meal?" he grumbled.

Elena glared at him.

"Esteban, pore favor, not this morning. Ember's fine."

"Mija, are you feeling okay?" Luisa frowned at her eldest granddaughter.

"Si abuela. Yo estoy un poquito consada," she answered. She hoped her grandmother would buy it. It wasn't exactly a lie considering she felt like she could sleep for a week.

Luisa frowned, but nodded.

"Elena feels like she has a fever, " Isabel piped up worriedly.

"Isabel…" Elena hissed.

Isabel ignored her.

Luisa stood from her chair. Going over to where Elena was sitting, she checked for herself.

"Your hermana's right. You do feel warm. Why don't you go back to bed," she advised.

Elena sighed.

"Abuela, I'll be fine. Besides, I can't go back to sleep. I have that meeting with Elserano this afternoon. I can't miss it again."

"I'm sure he'll understand. You need to take care of yourself, nieta. Go on. I'll be up to take your temperature and bring you some tea in a few minutes."

"Fine," Elena stood. Turning back, she glared at Isabel. Mouthing, "Muchas gracias," she made her way back to her room. She was halfway to the stairs when a male voice made her stop. Turning around, she grabbed onto the banister for support.

"Elena! Esparar."

"Que?" the crown princess raised her eyebrows at her cousin.

Esteban held out a thermos to her.

"Isabel told me about your mother's juice. I found some leftover and thought it would help you feel better."

"Gracias," Elena was truly touched by her cousin's kindness. She figured he was trying to return the favor after what she had done for him on Santalos. Something Esteban had told her started replaying in the back of her mind as she accepted the object. Ignoring it, she turned to head upstairs. Entering her room, she all but collapsed on her bed. Getting more comfortable, she suddenly felt thirsty. She hadn't gotten the chance to drink her mango juice since she had left the table before breakfast had been served. Sitting up, she pushed past the dizziness. Opening the top of the thermos, she drank a little of the juice within. Drinking some more, she closed the top and set it down on her table. Lying down, she closed her eyes. As she drifted off to sleep, she started shivering violently. Pulling her comforter around herself, she swallowed hard. As sleep found her, Elena just wanted this day to be over with. She felt bad for hurting Isabel's feelings. A ball of guilt settled in her stomach, making her nauseous. She promised herself she would talk to her sister as soon as she woke up. Swallowing hard once again, the crowned princess finally drifted off into dreamland…


	16. Chapter 16

DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from "Elena of Avalor." They belong to their respective creators. I do however own the storyline for this fic.

Enjoy!

A/N: Well here it is. The end of the story. Or is it? Read to find out!

"More Important Than a Meeting"

Chapter 16

Elena whimpered as her eyes opened. She felt something cool touching her forehead. Trying to move away, she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She soon heard a familiar female voice in her ear.

"Shh, esta bien, mija. I'm just trying to bring your fever down. It's pretty high."

"Hmmmm…abuela…." Elena mumbled as her eyes fully opened. She felt like half a dozen convoys had run her over. Her head was pounding and her whole body ached. Licking her lips, her tongue felt like sandpaper.

"Isa…" was the second name out of her mouth as she got her bearings.

"She's fine, my nieta. She's worried about you. So is Naomi," her grandmother informed her.

"I have to..have to tell Isa I'm..I didn't…" Elena's voice trailed off as a coughing fit made her headache worse.

"Shh. You need to rest," her grandmother told her. "If your fever doesn't come down in the next hour, I'm going to send for Dr. Sanchez."

Elena felt a cup being pressed to her lips. She drank the liquid within greedily, her throat feeling better as it went down.

"Take your time, sweetheart," Luisa advised.

Elena tried to heed her grandmother's warning. Lying back down, her eyes had just closed when her stomach suddenly started to churn. Opening her eyes, Elena tried to sit up, but found she felt too tired.

"Elena, esta bien," Luisa rested a hand on her granddaughter's shoulder.

The sixteen-year-old shook her head.

"Abuela, I..I'm gonna…" Elena rolled on her right side just as her stomach lurched. She felt her grandmother's hand on her shoulder as she threw up into her trash can. Breathing hard once she was done, the sixteen-year-old had tears streaming down her face.

"Oh, mija!" Luisa rubbed her granddaughter's back as Elena repeated the action a minute later. "I'll be right back. I'm going to send Naomi in to stay with you."

"Uh-huh," Elena panted.

It wasn't long before Naomi joined her.

"I brought you this, " her best friend set a bucket down on the table.

"Gracias," Elena softly replied.

"What dug into you? Last night you were fine. You couldn't have caught what Isabel had, could you?" Naomi frowned at the other teen.

Elena shook her head, regretting the action as pain shot through it.

"I don't think so…Naomi, I'm…I need the…" Elena sat up quickly, causing the room to spin before her.

"I've gotcha, " Naomi wrapped her arm around her best friend while putting the bucket in place. "Sweetie…it's okay. You'll feel better soon," she soothed as her best friend vomited twice. "Is it okay to move it?"

Elena nodded.

Doing so, Naomi happened to look down at the contents. Frowning, she gasped.

"Oh no…"

"Que? What is it? " Elena asked. She tried to sit up again in order to look, but Naomi stopped her.

"You need to rest. When Luisa comes back, I need to go get Mateo."

"Pore que?" Elena questioned as her breathing went back to normal.

"What was the last thing you drank?" her best friend asked in return.

Elena pointed to the drink on her table.

"Esteban said some of Mama's juice was left over from Isa being sick. I also had some water that abuela gave me," she replied.

Naomi nodded. She glared at Elena's closed bedroom door.

"Someone tampered with that," she pointed to the thermos of juice.

"What do you mean?" Elena wished Naomi would just get to the point. She wanted to sleep.

In answer, the younger teen set the bucket down. Picking up the thermos, she opened it. Glancing inside, she nodded, narrowing her eyes.

"Naomi, pore favor, what's going on?" Elena practically begged.

Naomi sighed.

"It looks like someone put a few mansana muertos seeds in here."

If Elena hadn't been feeling so bad, she would have asked her friend how she knew what mansana muertos were. But now wasn't the time. Forcing herself to stay calm, she ordered, "Get Mateo. He's the only one who can help reverse this."

"Already on it. I'm gonna have Isabel come in here," Naomi set the thermos down, stood and left the room.

"Elena!" Isabel climbed onto the bed next to her sister a few minutes later. "I'm sorry I made you mad. I was just trying to help."

"I know, baby," Elena pulled her sister close, "I forgive you. I was just frustrated because I don't like getting sick. I hate just lying around."

Isabel nodded in understanding just as Naomi returned with Mateo.

Without a word, Mateo picked up the thermos. Examining the contents, he frowned. Raising his tamborita, he mumbled a spell. The contents of the thermos turned purple, then orange and finally a dark blue. He did the same thing to the contents of the bucket on the table. Glancing up at his two friends and the younger princess, he sighed.

"It looks like Naomi's right."

"Huh?" Isabel was truly confused. "Doesn't Elena just have a bug?"

Mateo shook his head. He exchanged a look with Elena, who nodded.

"I'm afraid not."

Isabel felt her stomach drop to her toes. Grabbing a hold of her sister's hand, she locked eyes with Mateo.

"What's going on? Tell me the truth, " she ordered. Her voice was firm and commanding.

Mateo was taken aback at how much she sounded like Elena when she talked that way. It didn't happen often. Sighing again, he steeled himself.

"Someone put mansana muertos seeds in Elena's drink," he started.

"What are those?" Isabel asked.

"They're poisonous," Naomi frowned.

"Well can't she just get rid of them?" Isabel asked simply.

Mateo shook his head.

"It's not that easy. Fortunately, I only saw a piece of one in here. That means we're only dealing with two at the most. Two is better than three or more. To answer your question, it's not just a matter of Elena throwing up the poison. Her body's trying to expel it that way now. But it's not good enough. It won't save her life."

Isabel's heart skipped a beat at the sorcerer's words. Shaking her head, she blinked back tears. She couldn't lose her sister. Elena was her best friend. Forcing herself to stay strong, she once again locked eyes with the royal wizard.

"What do I have to do to help my sister?"

"Isa!" elena said as firmly as she could.

Isabel ignored her.

"There's an antidote. I'm only missing one ingredient. Unfortunately, it's the main one. It's called the Apricot rose."

"Where can we find it?" Isabel demanded.

Mateo hesitated.

"Isabel…" Elena forewarned with as much authority as she could muster.

Again, Isabel ignored her.

"Where…can…we find…" Isabel repeated, every word weighed with a fierceness her familia had rarely heard before.

Mateo gulped.

"It grows at the top of azulridge cliffs."

Isabel nodded. A determined look crossed her face. Turning to Naomi, she stated, "Then that's where we're going."

"Isabel, pore favor, you don't have to do this," Elena tried.

Isabel finally faced her sister. Locking eyes with her, she spoke softly, but no less determinedly.

"Yes, I do. You've done so much for me. You always take care of me and look out for me. It's my turn to do something for you. You went all the way to Cordoba to save my life. It's my turn to save yours. Let me do this for you. I promise I'll be careful."

Elena was about to hesitate when she nodded instead. Something told her to trust Isabel. Her sister could do this.

"Okay," she said. Sitting up as best she could, she pulled the nine-year-old in for a hug. Kissing her head, she whispered in her ear, "I love you. You can do this."

"I love you too, " Isabel's voice cracked with unshed tears on the three precious words. Pulling away, she got off the bed. Turning to Naomi, she said, "Come on, we have to get ready."

Naomi nodded.

"I'll be right there," the blonde assured her.

Isabel nodded. As she left her sister's room, the young girl prayed she hadn't just told Elena she loved her for the last time.

Naomi, meanwhile, had embraced her best friend much like Isabel had just done minutes before.

"Just concentrate on keeping your strength up. Get all the rest you can and listen to your grandparents. We'll be back as soon as we can," Naomi assured her.

"I know you will, " Elena managed a tiny smile of encouragement for her best friend. "Pore favor, take care of Isa."

Naomi swallowed, but nodded nonetheless. She knew all too well that her friend's request had a double meaning behind it. She was more determined than ever to succeed on this mission. Standing, she left in the direction Isabel had gone.

Turning her attention to Mateo, Elena asked the question she was dreading an answer to.

"How long do I have?"

Mateo hesitated.

"Elena, just concentrate on keeping your-"

"How long?" Elena stressed.

"If they don't manage to get the Apricot rose…Forty-eight hours. If they do, you'll be feeling better in two or three days."

Elena nodded. Closing her eyes, she tried to listen to what her friends and familia were telling her. Something told her she would need all the rest she could get for the days ahead.

"I want you to go with them," she said firmly.

"What if you need me here? " Mateo argued.

"I have abuela and abuelo and Gabe. I'd feel better if you went with Isa and Naomi to watch their backs. Pore favor. Do this for me," Elena requested as she drifted into a fitful sleep.

"As you wish, Princess Elena, " Mateo picked up his tamborita. With one last look over his shoulder at his friend, he left her to rest. He tried to summon the inner strength from within himself. He had a feeling he would need lots of it. After explaining to the girls what Elena wanted, Naomi agreed he could come along. Packing some supplies, the three friends left the palace an hour later. As they made their way to azulridge cliffs, each of them was in their own world. Even so, they all had the same person on their minds. Each of them hoping they wouldn't let her down. Isabel was the most determined to complete this mission successfully. Her older sister meant the world to her. She had protected her from Shuriki, not to mention saved her life a week ago. It was time for the nine-year-old to help her in return. She just hoped she was able to come through. Elena's life depended on it. Pushing that scary, but truthful fact out of her mind for the time being, the young girl concentrated on their destination. She had to get the Apricot rose. She just had to…

TO BE CONTINUED…

 **DISC: I DO NOT own any of the characters from "Elena of Avalor." They belong to their respective creators. I do however own the storyline for this fic.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **A/N: Well here it is. The end of the story. Or is it? Read to find out!**

 **"More Important Than a Meeting"**

 **Chapter 16**

 **Elena whimpered as her eyes opened. She felt something cool touching her forehead. Trying to move away, she felt someone's hand on her shoulder. She soon heard a familiar female voice in her ear.**

 **"Shh, esta bien, mija. I'm just trying to bring your fever down. It's pretty high."**

 **"Hmmmm…abuela…." Elena mumbled as her eyes fully opened. She felt like half a dozen convoys had run her over. Her head was pounding and her whole body ached. Licking her lips, her tongue felt like sandpaper.**

 **"Isa…" was the second name out of her mouth as she got her bearings.**

 **"She's fine, my nieta. She's worried about you. So is Naomi," her grandmother informed her.**

 **"I have to..have to tell Isa I'm..I didn't…" Elena's voice trailed off as a coughing fit made her headache worse.**

 **"Shh. You need to rest," her grandmother told her. "If your fever doesn't come down in the next hour, I'm going to send for Dr. Sanchez."**

 **Elena felt a cup being pressed to her lips. She drank the liquid within greedily, her throat feeling better as it went down.**

 **"Take your time, sweetheart," Luisa advised.**

 **Elena tried to heed her grandmother's warning. Lying back down, her eyes had just closed when her stomach suddenly started to churn. Opening her eyes, Elena tried to sit up, but found she felt too tired.**

 **"Elena, esta bien," Luisa rested a hand on her granddaughter's shoulder.**

 **The sixteen-year-old shook her head.**

 **"Abuela, I..I'm gonna…" Elena rolled on her right side just as her stomach lurched. She felt her grandmother's hand on her shoulder as she threw up into her trash can. Breathing hard once she was done, the sixteen-year-old had tears streaming down her face.**

 **"Oh, mija!" Luisa rubbed her granddaughter's back as Elena repeated the action a minute later. "I'll be right back. I'm going to send Naomi in to stay with you."**

 **"Uh-huh," Elena panted.**

 **It wasn't long before Naomi joined her.**

 **"I brought you this, " her best friend set a bucket down on the table.**

 **"Gracias," Elena softly replied.**

 **"What dug into you? Last night you were fine. You couldn't have caught what Isabel had, could you?" Naomi frowned at the other teen.**

 **Elena shook her head, regretting the action as pain shot through it.**

 **"I don't think so…Naomi, I'm…I need the…" Elena sat up quickly, causing the room to spin before her.**

 **"I've gotcha, " Naomi wrapped her arm around the her best friend while putting the bucket in place. She soothed her as Elena vomited twice in a row. "Is it okay to move it?"**

 **Elena nodded.**

 **Doing so, Naomi happened to look down at the contents. Frowning, she gasped.**

 **"Oh no…"**

 **"Que? What is it? " Elena asked. She tried to sit up again in order to look, but Naomi stopped her.**

 **"You need to rest. When Luisa comes back, I need to go get Mateo."**

 **"Pore que?" Elena questioned as her breathing went back to normal.**

 **"What was the last thing you drank?" her best friend asked in return.**

 **Elena pointed to the drink on her table.**

 **"Esteban said some of my Mom's juice was left over from Isa being sick. I also had some water that abuela gave me," she replied.**

 **Naomi nodded. She glared at Elena's closed bedroom door.**

 **"Someone tampered with that," she pointed to the thermos of juice.**

 **"What do you mean?" Elena wished Naomi would just get to the point. She wanted to sleep.**

 **In answer, Naomi set the bucket down. Picking up the thermos, she opened it. Glancing inside, she nodded, narrowing her eyes.**

 **"Naomi, pore favor, what's going on?" Elena practically begged.**

 **Naomi sighed.**

 **"It looks like someone put a few mansana muertos seeds in here."**

 **If Elena hadn't been feeling so bad, she would have asked her friend how she knew what mansana muertos was, but now wasn't the time. Forcing herself to stay calm, she ordered, "Get Mateo. He's the only one who can help reverse this."**

 **"Already on it. I'm gonna have Isabel come in here," Naomi set the thermos down, stood and left the room.**

 **"Elena!" Isabel climbed onto the bed next to her sister a few minutes later. "I'm sorry I made you mad. I was just trying to help."**

 **"I know, " Elena pulled her sister close, "I forgive you. I was just frustrated because I don't like getting sick. I hate just lying around."**

 **Isabel nodded in understanding just as Naomi returned with Mateo.**

 **Without a word, Mateo picked up the thermos. Examining the contents, he frowned. Raising his tamborita, he mumbled a spell. The contents of the thermos turned purple, then orange and finally a dark blue. He did the same thing to the contents of the bucket on the table. Glancing up at his two friends and the younger princess, he sighed.**

 **"It looks like Naomi's right."**

 **"Huh?" Isabel was truly confused. "Doesn't Elena just have a bug?"**

 **Mateo shook his head. He exchanged a look with Elena, who nodded.**

 **"I'm afraid not."**

 **Isabel felt her stomach drop to her toes. Grabbing a hold of her sister's hand, she locked eyes with Mateo.**

 **"What's going on? Tell me the truth, " she ordered. Her voice was firm and commanding.**

 **Mateo was taken aback at how much she sounded like Elena when she talked that way. It didn't happen often. Sighing again, he steeled himself.**

 **"Someone put mansana muertos seeds in Elena's drink," he started.**

 **"What are those?" Isabel asked.**

 **"They're poisonous," Naomi frowned.**

 **"Well can't she just get rid of them?" Isabel asked simply.**

 **Mateo shook his head.**

 **"It's not that easy. Fortunately, I only saw a piece of one in here. That means we're only dealing with two at the most. Two is better than three or more. To answer your question, it's not just a matter of Elena throwing up the poison. Her body's trying to expel it that way now. But it's not good enough. It won't save her life."**

 **Isabel's heart skipped a beat at the sorcerer's words. Shaking her head, she blinked back tears. She couldn't lose her sister. Elena was her best friend. Forcing herself to stay strong, she once again locked eyes with the royal wizard.**

 **"What do I have to do to help my sister?"**

 **"Isa!" elena said as firmly as she could.**

 **Isabel ignored her.**

 **"There's an antidote. I'm only missing one ingredient. Unfortunately, it's the main one. It's called the Apricot rose."**

 **"Where can we find it?" Isabel demanded.**

 **Mateo hesitated.**

 **"Isabel…" Elena forewarned with as much authority as she could muster.**

 **Again, Isabel ignored her.**

 **"Where…can…we find…" Isabel repeated, every word weighed with a fierceness her familia had rarely heard before.**

 **Mateo gulped.**

 **"It grows at the top of azulridge cliffs."**

 **Isabel nodded. A determined look crossed her face. Turning to Naomi, she stated, "Then that's where we're going."**

 **"Isabel, pore favor, you don't have to do this," Elena tried.**

 **Isabel finally faced her sister. Locking eyes with her, she spoke softly, but no less determinedly.**

 **"Yes, I do. You've done so much for me. You always take care of me and look out for me. It's my turn to do something for you. You went all the way to Cordoba to save my life. It's my turn to save yours. Let me do this for you. I promise I'll be careful."**

 **Elena was about to hesitate when she nodded instead. Something told her to trust Isabel. Her sister could do this.**

 **"Okay," she said. Sitting up as best she could, she pulled the nine-year-old in for a hug. Kissing her head, she whispered in her ear, "I love you. You can do this."**

 **"I love you too, " Isabel's voice cracked with unshed tears on the three precious words. Pulling away, she got off the bed. Turning to Naomi, she said, "Come on, we have to get ready."**

 **Naomi nodded.**

 **"I'll be right there," the blonde assured her.**

 **Isabel nodded. As she left her sister's room, the young girl prayed she hadn't just told Elena she loved her for the last time.**

 **Naomi, meanwhile, had embraced her best friend much like Isabel had just done minutes before.**

 **"Just concentrate on keeping your strength up. Get all the rest you can and listen to your grandparents. We'll be back as soon as we can," Naomi assured her.**

 **"I know you will, " Elena managed a tiny smile of encouragement for her best friend. "Pore favor, take care of Isa."**

 **Naomi swallowed, but nodded nonetheless. She knew all too well that her friend's request had a double meaning behind it. She was more determined than ever to succeed on this mission. Standing, she left in the direction Isabel had gone.**

 **Turning her attention to Mateo, Elena asked the question she was dreading an answer to.**

 **"How long do I have?"**

 **Mateo hesitated.**

 **"Elena, just concentrate on keeping your-"**

 **"How long?" Elena stressed.**

 **"If they don't manage to get the Apricot rose…Forty-eight hours. If they do, you'll be feeling better in two or three days."**

 **Elena nodded. Closing her eyes, she tried to listen to what her friends and familia were telling her. Something told her she would need all the rest she could get for the days ahead.**

 **"I want you to go with them," she said firmly.**

 **"What if you need me here? " Mateo argued.**

 **"I have abuela and abuelo and Gabe. I'd feel better if you went with Isa and Naomi to watch their backs. Pore favor. Do this for me," Elena requested as she drifted into a fitful sleep.**

 **"As you wish, Princess Elena, " Mateo picked up his tamborita. With one last look over his shoulder at his friend, he left her to rest. He tried to summon the inner strength from within himself. He had a feeling he would need lots of it. After explaining to the girls what Elena wanted, Naomi agreed he could come along. Packing some supplies, the three friends left the palace an hour later. As they made their way to azulridge cliffs, each of them was in their own world. Even so, they all had the same person on their minds. Each of them hoping they wouldn't let her down. Isabel was the most determined to complete this mission successfully. Her older sister meant the world to her. She had protected her from Shuriki, not to mention saved her life a week ago. It was time for the nine-year-old to help her in return. She just hoped she was able to come through. Elena's life depended on it. Pushing that scary, but truthful fact out of her mind for the time being, the young girl concentrated on their destination. She had to get the Apricot rose. She just had to…**

 **TO BE CONTINUED…**


End file.
